Imbalance
by psycho-eyes-ON
Summary: Legend of Korra finale rewrite. Canon only. Korra's panic unleashes the avatar state, forcing Amon to reveal his identity. She becomes trapped in the spirit world, connecting with her past lives and meeting Koh. Will her past provide answers to her uncertain future? Borra.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi guys, pyON here again. I thought I'd get started on my Korra finale rewrite. Just so you guys know, I'm going to try and keep it as canon as possible (eg no OCs, no OOC moments) but it will end up being a Borra fic. **

**This chapter doesn't really rewrite much at all, but it does give insight to Asami's reaction, which hopefully will make the rest of the fic seem more plausible. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, dialogue or the plot of Avatar: Legend of Korra. Credit belongs to the show's creators - NOT me. I have written this purely for entertainment and do not intend to make profit from this story.**

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Chapter One: Collision

Snow gushed under her feet in a tumultuous arc. Slush and ice crunched, as she skidded out into the frozen wilderness. The slamming of the door barely registered as she took in the scene before her. There was only an instance: a tense, heavy pressure in the air. The tenure of it bearing down on her nerves, as she saw his face…or the lack of it.

Amon stood just a few feet away from her. Cold malice and superiority emanating from him as his eyes travelled from the crumpled form of Tarrlok in the van, over to her desperate attempt at freedom. He had taken the councilman's bending away; she knew that, even if she hadn't seen how the events had played out. She supposed she ought to have relished in this fact, it would have been understandable: after all, the duplicitous politician had been outed as the son of former crime-lord, Yakone; a bloodbender; attacked her and wrongly imprisoned her here. Instead, she felt nothing, except a tinge of pity.

The mask stirred in her direction. Without thinking, she drew an arc of water from the snow, weaving into shards of ice. She flung them blindly at the monster, hoping the darts would hit, even if she only sought to distract him. Running, running was all she could do for now.

Amon gazed on at the disappearing avatar, watching as her form shrank into the distance. Soon she would be over the hills and returning to Republic City. The growing incompetence of his team never ceased to amaze him. An out of breath lieutenant staggered towards him, no doubt to deliver the most obvious of conclusions.

"I thought I told you not to underestimate her."

She could feel the uneven surface of compacted snow, throwing her balance as she flew down the mountain on a hastily bent slab of ice. Adrenaline formed heat rose in waves throughout her body. She could feel her nerves making her stomach tremble and shout at her. Her stomach would wretch, were it not for the desire to put as much distance as she could between her and Amon.

Snow had begun drifting down, slowly. It wasn't enough to cover that which had fallen the day before. She was going to have to focus on staying on her feet. Gritting her teeth, she righted herself again. Another pulse of heat pricked at the back of her neck. _Come on, Korra. Keep moving! _She told herself angrily. _But I'm so tired…_ The tree root came out of nowhere. Perhaps she'd been too distracted by blind panic to notice it. She didn't so much feel herself fall, but watched the world tumble around her in indistinct shapes and her shoes treading on clouds. Her head hit a nearby pine tree and everything turned to black.

* * *

"And what if Korra's not down here? Asami asked, her sharp tone bouncing of the metal lined labyrinth.

"-Then we pick another tunnel until we find her!" He snapped, cutting off the doubts of her first echoes. At any other time, he might have realised just how angry and frustrated he sounded and apologised; "_I'm sorry, but we _need_ to keep looking."_ he would have said to ease her niggling worries and suspicions. He didn't do either of these things though and instead marched on into the gloomy depths of the storm drain, lighting the way with the flame in his clenched fist.

She sighed, slowly walking on with the others, further back than before. These tense conversations were quickly becoming the only ones they shared. His brother was walking beside her. _Perhaps, Bolin will shed some light on the situation – they are close._

"Hey, is Mako alright? He seems really worried about Korra."

"Yeah, we all are." He said, folding his arms, knowing that hadn't been what she'd meant.

"I know," she rolled her eyes, thankful that he wouldn't have seen her do so in the dark, "but he's your brother. Do you think he likes Korra as more than just a friend?" Her face boiled with embarrassment: she really shouldn't need to ask.

"W-what?" Bolin's face shone with deceit. " No! That's - just gossip. Where'd you hear that? Crazy talk is what's coming outta your mouth right now…" He looked away quickly, laughing nervously. He really didn't want to be the one to hurt her feelings. _Boy, does Mako really needs to communicate more! _

"What do you know Bolin?" Asami asked assertively, placing her hand a little more firmly on his shoulder than she'd meant to. He seemed so eager to run off…he _must _be covering for his brother. "Come on, spill it."

"Nothing!" He shrieked, "I mean – there was this one time during the tournament when Mako and Korra kissed, but –" He spat the words out quickly, he couldn't bear the look she was giving him.

"They – kissed?" her voice was like a whisper of shock. She didn't even seem to realise she had stopped walking.

She couldn't help keep herself from staring at Mako's back, shooting daggers at it in her mind. Perhaps she expected his shoulders to be stooped under the weight of his lies…they were tense, but this was probably down to worrying about Korra. He marched them through the tunnels at a brisk pace. He threatened guards for _her_ sake…and she could see from the look in his eyes that his world would come to ash if he couldn't find her. All this new-found doubt cast shadows over her mind. She thought that Mako was the one constant she had left, after her father sided against her and her friends, but now… He hadn't even had the courage to be honest with her. What relationship could be built upon lies and inequality? And Korra…Korra was supposed to be her friend. Yet, she had kept this from her too…why?

"I scanned the entire prison. Korra's not here." Lin said regretfully, wrenching Asami from her thoughts.

"Why would Tarrlok lie about being attacked by equalists?" His voice was raised in panic and anger. The equalist Mako had been threatening fell to the ground and scuttled off to the far end of the corridor; no doubt to inform those on guard duty of their security breach.

Everything was knitting together into a horrific tapestry of betrayal. It all made sense in the most cruel of ways. "Because _he_ has Korra. He fooled us all!" Tenzin said in shock, a swell of worry washing over him.

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**AN: Hope that was okay...I realise this chapter was more like a written version of the episode and yeah, I did quote the dialogue, but as I said, it's merely to make the bits I do write make more sense. I don't know...I might take these first few chapters down later and just leave the actual rewritten bits up. Depends how I feel. Let me know what you think?**

**pyON~**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:**** Hi guys, I know it's been a while since I last uploaded, but I've been a little busy. This is chapter 2 of Imbalance. I know it's a little short, but this is where the rewriting starts, more or less, even if it's still only very subtle. (Trust me, chapter 4 onwards will be almost completely rewrite content) **

**Disclaimer: As usual I don't own the characters, show or whatever. I don't intend to profit from this.**

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Chapter Two - Cities Built on Ships

In some remote part of her mind, she recognised that she was moving. She could feel Naga's haunches undulating in ripples of power, as she raced over the snow and ripped through miles of tarmac. Sometimes she would jolt awake as the polar bear dog careened round a bend. In these instances she would catch a glimpse of the occasional house fronted by surprised citizens, sheltering their children behind them. Perhaps they thought the gentle beast might turn on them.

As these flashes of consciousness became more frequent so did the signs of civilisation. Houses emerged in an abundant flow the more they travelled. Yet even though she woke more often, she could not shake the weariness in her bones, which clung to her like a parasitic passenger on their journey. During the days she'd spent incarcerated, there had been too few provisions to provide sustenance. Tarrlok had tossed her a bread roll perhaps once or twice, on the days he showed up; there had been days when he hadn't visited to receive her taunts. She felt weak. The visions of the outside world that sped past her eyes seemed distorted and distant. Before long her initial, adrenaline fuelled recovery dissipated into one long dream.

The sun had long since set. A low howl pierced the night air, waking Korra from her slumber. She felt weary, but alert enough to realise that they had come to a halt. Buildings towered all around them, flanking them on either side. Once more they were deep in the labyrinthine streets of Republic City.

The baying of a sky bison caught her attention. It was Oogi. Shouts and cheers followed. People clambered from the saddle, racing towards her. Korra did her best to keep her stomach down while sliding from Naga's saddle, her legs sore from the day's ride.

Tenzin and Lin appeared before her weary eyes, their faces full of relief. The former chief of police looked like she was about to begin interrogating, but Tenzin cut her off.

"Korra! Thank goodness, you're safe."

"Where's Tarrlok? How did you get away?" Lin demanded, forgetting herself, amidst the routine of the role she had been so used to.

Mako burst past them, parting the concerned crowd like the Red Sea. His brother and Asami stood a little way behind him, eyebrows raised with questioning looks. "Give her some space!" He cried, offering his hand out to Korra, who was still dismounting. She frowned, jumping from Naga. The quick motion was instantly regretted, but she refused to let it show. A split second flash of emotion crossed his face, one of rejection, but in an instant it was gone. A split second was all that Asami needed, and far more than she had wanted, to see.

"I'm fine Mako." Korra said, fatigue robbing her of her eloquence and leaving her feeling drained as they walked back towards Oogi. She knew that she was slouching and weak, but she wasn't about to let people worry over her more than they had been doing. She was here now; they could stop doing that. She had never needed to rely on others before and she wasn't going to make a habit of doing so now.

"…I was so worried. Are you alright?" Mako asked, softly, his voice oozing with concern and misplaced affection.

"I'm fine. Honestly. I just need some rest." She said detachedly. He clambered back into the sky bison's saddle, where Asami and Bolin waited. Korra couldn't help but notice how Asami shifted towards the side of the seating area as he embarked. She crossed her arms, leaning over the railing, with her back to him.

"Welcome back, Korra." Bolin beamed at her helping her up onto Oogi's back.

"Naga, we'll meet you back at Air Temple Island." she called down to her mount, before seeing the polar-bear dog sprint down the roads towards the port. "Thanks, Bolin." she returned his smile, before mouthing "What's up with them?"

He simply shrugged, as if to say 'don't ask.' "All that matters is you're home now."

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**AN: Hope that was okay for you. Please R&R **

**pyON :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey, pyON here. This one's a fair bit longer than the last few :) So I hope that's a good thing. Defo shifting towards the Borra moments from here on in, guys. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, the show or whatever. This story was created purely for entertainment purposes and I do not intend to profit from it.**

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Chapter Three: Shipping Geometry

Sunlight streamed lazily through the curtains, casting a soft glow upon the sleeping cocoon of bed sheets. Korra slept soundly, dark hair scattered across her face. A shadow peered from the doorway, Mako's silhouette seemed hampered with his every concern for the girl. He'd thought that his fears would dissipate once she was back, but yet they seemed to be accumulating. Unaware of his audience, he walked over to her bedside, taking her hand in his. The peeping figure at the door bitterly noted the care in which he did so. Her slender fingers were soft and he imagined them intertwined with his. Like all dreams though, he knew that satisfaction would only kill his desire. He placed her hand gently down on the pillow again and with a discontented, saddened look, trailed out of the room, self-pity his second shadow.

Asami had been heading towards the main hall to help Pema, when she'd spotted her often distant boyfriend, hovering around the corridor. She only needed to see how he was around Korra to know that she was the true object of his affection. She was the recipient of every look and thought that she'd wanted from Mako. A lump caught in her throat as she walked away down the corridor. _Mako…just how _long_ are you going to keep this going? Would it be too much to ask for you to be honest with me?_ It had only been a brief glance, but those seconds seemed to speak more truthfully than those wasted weeks or unrequited adoration. She had seen enough. There were no longer any doubts in her mind.

"Oh yeah, Korra's gonna love these…" Bolin grinned, breathing in the scent of the hyacinths, which Pema had picked from the temple courtyard that morning. "Oh hey, Mako." He said in a small voice. It didn't take much thought to realise why his brother had been there, he just felt even more awful about it, now that Asami knew. The worst part was that he felt guilty for having been the one to tell her.

"Hi, Bo. I was just…" he trailed off, wondering how long Bolin had been standing there, "Just leaving."

Bolin shook his head slightly, in dismay as his brother walked past him. What kind of relationship could he hope to build on all these secrets and double standards? Still, he was his brother and he would try not to get involved.

He hoped they would brighten up the room, though it had really been Pema's idea. The flower stems tinkled inside the glass vase as he arranged them, or tried to. Just how on earth did people make flower arranging look so easy?

"…Bolin?" came a croaky voice. "Morning…what are you?"

"Oh hey," he smiled, feeling awkward about being found out. He hadn't meant to wake her at all. "Flowers. For – for you. Y-you like them?" He blurted out, trying to regain composure.

"Yeah, thanks." she smiled, weakly, brushing swathes of dark hair out of her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Nearly noon, but…I…you don't mind if I talk to you, do you?"

"Ugh, I guess I overslept then, huh? Oh, erm, sure. Go ahead, I mean, we're already talking, aren't we?" She chuckled, sitting up.

"Right…" he tried to join in her good humour, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Something was up. "well, it's about Mako and…that erm, kiss…" he added with some reluctance.

"Oh…_that_." she cringed, embarrassed with where this conversation was going. "Bolin, look, that…that was just–"

"I can't believe it! I mean, I know he was going out with Asami first and that he likes you…a _lot_…but," he sighed. "I guess I'm just worried about him that's all. He hadn't even told Asami about how he feels and he's certainly not doing himself any favours when it comes to their relationship…"

"Oh, right…" Korra mumbled in surprise, not having anticipated _this_ conversation. "So, does she know…about his mixed feelings? Did he tell her? Cos, that was _ages_ ago."

"Ah, well" he turned away, running a hand through his hair sheepishly, "he doesn't know that she knows. Not yet, anyway."

"Oh god. You told her?"

"She made me tell her! I didn't want to, but, well…she ought to know where she stands. I'm just sorry she had to hear it from me." He said, looking downcast.

"Well, what's done is done now. I just…I can't be_lieve_ he didn't tell her! What…did he expect he could just have both of us? That I'd be happy to be his other woman, while he cheats on my best friend?" She was suddenly all too aware of how loud she was talking. Pinching her nose, she said, bewilderedly "I just don't know what to say…Asami's my best friend…"

"Yeah, I know…I just thought I'd give you the heads up though. I wish she hadn't had to find out like this." He rose quickly, realising he'd lost track of time, "Anyway, I'd best let you get ready. You must be starving."

"Thanks, Bolin." She smiled grimly.

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The air in the main hall was thick with silence on Air Temple Island. No one had spoken since the air acolytes had brought in a bowl of soup and a basket of bread rolls for the young avatar. At first Bolin had reached over, believing them to be for all of them, even if he had only recently had breakfast. A quick side glance from Mako soon rebuked him. His brother clearly didn't think now was the time for such a casual attitude.

"You feeling any better, Korra?" Bolin asked, checking himself, and hoping his earlier faux pa would be forgotten.

"Mm, yeah. Much better." She mumbled through a mouthful of food. "Thanks for the food, Pema, it's delicious."

"Well, we're just glad you're home safe." She said, gathering up the plates.

"Oh, let me give you a hand with that." Asami went over to take some of the weight off her hands.

Tenzin watched his wife leave, before clearing his throat abruptly. "Korra, I realise you've been through a lot recently, but I need to know everything that's happened."

Korra blinked at the sudden grave conversation, putting her spoon back on her plate. "Well, first off, Tarrlok isn't who he says he is: he's Yakone's son."

The room regained its heavy silence for a few minutes. Lin was the first to speak.

"It all makes sense! That's why Tarrlok was able to bloodbend us without a full moon."

"But then how did you escape? And what happened to Tarrlok?" Tenzin asked eagerly.

Korra shook her head in distaste. "Amon captured him and took his bending away. He just showed up out of nowhere…I was lucky." she said ruefully.

"This is certainly disturbing news. Amon is furthering his siege on the city; attacking councilman, creating riots…almost capturing the avatar. It looks like he is entering his endgame."

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**AN: So, let me know what you think. Feel free to R&R.**

**pyON~**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey guys. Wow, the time between me uploading these chapters is getting much shorter! :O But then those lovely reviews of yours have been great encouragement to me. So thank you. **

**This chapter was going to be a *lot* longer than it is, but, I just thought that this seemed like a good place to end it. So, I suppose you could consider this part one of this chapter, in a way. Ugh, I'm rambling. Enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Korra, or its characters. This was written purely for entertainment purposes and not for profit.**

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Chapter Four: Past Tense

Asami was busy helping Pema with the washing up. She wanted to pick up conversation with the older woman, but found herself at a loss for words. Even if it was a personal matter, she couldn't deny that she'd volunteered herself for the housework, so she could gain the insight of someone more experienced with this sort of situation. Hadn't Korra said that Pema stole Tenzin from Chief Beifong? Even if her problem lended her more to Lin's position, she knew that it would be easier to talk to Pema, than the policewoman whom she barely knew. That was her reasoning, anyway, if she could only find the nerve to speak.

Pema had a gentle smile on her face, being so engrossed with the menial tasks which Tenzin would prefer her refrain from, owing to her "condition". She was glad her husband was too busy to suffocate her with his concerns today…though he did mean well. Even the fourth time around, he still panicked his way into fatherhood. The thought gave way to a small chuckle, which she covered quickly by humming a tune to herself.

"…Pema, I'd like to ask you–"

"Mind if I get some more hot water? Korra needs more tea." Mako walked into the kitchen, brandishing a teapot.

"You're a firebender; you can heat it yourself." Asami spat venomously, her face crumpled in frustration.

"I still need the water, though…" He trailed off, watching her scrubbing furiously at a pan. She wasn't paying him any attention, he thought. Pema looked on, clueless to the cause of the apparent tension.

"I think I'll step out for a bit, in case you two need to talk." She quickly exited the room, trying to keep her fixed smile in place.

"Well? Is there anything to talk about?"

"You don't know do you?" she'd stopped chipping at the burnt debris in the pan, but continued to stare at it, rather than him.

"Well, maybe I would if you'd just _tell_ me." He said grumpily, plonking the teapot on to the worktop. "Seriously…"

"You don't know what it's like, do you? What you're asking of me?" The pan dropped back in the bowl, splashing water everywhere. She turned to meet his gaze. "I _know_ you like Korra, Mako. I've seen how anxious you were while she was gone; how you've been _avoiding_ me! …How you'd stop at nothing to have her back."

"What are you talking about? She's my friend – the Avatar – of course I was worried: _everyone_ was! The city _needs_ her." He said, looking somewhere over her shoulder.

"Look at me Mako!" She said sharply. "I _know._ I know about the kiss."

"What? What ki–" he sighed, brow furrowed. "Bolin told you, didn't he?"

"It doesn't matter who told me. The point is that it happened. Look, I like Korra, she's a good friend. But, you've been keeping the truth from me all this time. We'd only just started dating back then…" She looked at him, searchingly, hoping to find an apology on his face, rather than the guilt she saw. "Just tell me, was any of this real? Us, I mean…"

He didn't answer.

"…Or was I simply there for you to check how you felt about Korra?" She scowled, turning away towards the window.

"What…? Where did this even come from? Do you really think _that_ badly of me?" He sounded dejected, but Asami was too angry to care.

"I just need to know: do you have feelings for Korra or not? Because…you can't have both of us, you know." She walked up to him, so they were little more than a hairsbreadth apart. "It just doesn't work like that."

"I, erm – Look, can we talk about this some other time? Things are getting crazy right now. I really think we should prioritise." He took a step back, unnerved by how direct she was being. To admit anything to her now, would mean coming to terms with the truth after so long. He always used to pride himself on being decisive, bold and resolute and yet, when it came down to it…here he was, unsure, lost and flippant. _This isn't how it's meant to be…_he thought ruefully. He loved Asami…in past tense. He hadn't want to fall out of love with her. He'd blamed himself for it on some level, but he couldn't hate himself for loving Korra. How could _love_ be something to be hated?

_He's dodging the question…I guess I really don't need an answer, after all._ Asami gave him a stern look, "Yeah? Well, prioritise _this_: if you keep this up, there may not be a relationship to worry about." She walked passed him, storming out of the kitchen, past the stunned congregation in the main hall.

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Tenzin rose from the table, straightening out his robes. "Right, well, I must attend to some business at City Hall. A meeting has been called to plan how to best deal with Amon's new tactics." He was about the walk away, when realisation must have struck. "Before I go, Lin, I was wondering if we might have a word."

In the courtyard they spoke of his greatest fears, for his family and the world. The imbalance the world would suffer from losing its last airbenders would be too great and must be avoided, lest destruction and ruin follow as history had taught them in his father's lifetime. The situation was resolved amiably between old friends and Pema and Lin were left to watch the man they'd once fought over disappear into the depths of Republic City.

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Korra watched from the window, frustrated in her boredom. She didn't like feeling useless. She realised that everyone else seemed to have something to do, whether it was protecting a friend's family, harbouring new life, or feuding with one another. The signs of life around her were hard to miss and yet she felt like a zombie. "Aargh!" She grumbled, hoping to get this unease out of her system. It felt like she was in the eye of the storm, waiting to see destruction around her; knowing it was coming, but dreading its arrival. It was a heavy presence bearing down on her, niggling at her mind.

"Hey. You bored too?" Bolin slumped down on the window seat next to her. Following her gaze, he saw the young airbenders rushing around in the courtyard, waving their father off and wishing him luck. "It's weird isn't it?" he said after some time "Seeing people rushing about, getting on with things, smiling, even though we all know that any minute it could all be taken away. It's…it's just wrong." He rested his head in his hands, taking a sly glance at Korra's blank expression. "But…" he dragged out the single syllable, "this is it – a reminder."

"A reminder?" Korra asked, quizzically.

He sat up, turning to face her. "That this is the life we're fighting to protect." he said with a determined smile on his face. This composure was soon lost. Korra wrapped her arms firmly around his waist, as if holding on to the hope he had given her. He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. Silently he hugged her back, patting her head, as though it would wipe away all her fears. _Please, please, let us just stay like this…just a little longer._ "We'll win, Korra. I know it."

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**AN: Well, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it~ Let me know what you think :)**

**pyON**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hi, sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter, I've had a chaotic couple of weeks irl. This is also by far the longest chapter I've ever written for any fic - wow. Hopefully I've managed to keep everyone in character. I found Hiroshi Sato a bit difficult to write for, but I hope I did okay. I hope you enjoy it~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend Of Korra or its characters. This story was written purely for entertainment purposes, with no intention of making profit.**

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Chapter Five - Republic

Smoke billowed on the horizon, pouring from various sites across Republic City. Still locked in their embrace, Korra saw the scenes of horror unfold as she gazed over Bolin's shoulder, horrified of what was happening in the City. _Tenzin! _She realised with a jolt, tearing herself from what had been a pleasant and reaffirming moment.

"Korra?" Bolin stared up at her, watching her agitation and unaware of the cause of it. He quickly got up and planted two hands on her shoulders. "Korra, what's wrong?" He asked, trying again to get her attention. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer.

She stood still for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "The city…it's – it's under attack. We-we have to…" she broke off, lost for words in her racing mind. "Tenzin…he might be in trouble. He went to the city…" she tried to swallow her fears and push them down inside her, but she couldn't stop them from leaking into her voice.

Bolin closed his eyes briefly, trying to assess the matter. He needed to stay calm; panicking wouldn't do anyone any good. "Let's go and talk to Lin then. Maybe she's heard from Chief Saicon. At least then we'll have a better idea of what's going on." He said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. You're right." She said resolutely. "Come on!" she called back down the corridor as they ran towards the courtyard.

They nearly bumped into Mako and Asami, who had raced over from the other side of the temple. Something about the atmosphere between them told Korra that they were still agitated from their fight earlier that day. The four of them slowed down as they approached the courtyard, to see Lin ushering the children indoors. The young airbenders weaved their way past them, with terrified faces. The former chief of police stood quietly assessing the tragic events on the other shore, as members of the White Lotus guard headed towards her, seeking to fortify the island against the imminent threat.

"Lin! What's going on? We heard explosions." Korra asked.

Turning towards them, Lin's expression was grave, as she said bitterly "Amon has begun his assault on the City." _It should never have come to this, _she thought angrily, blaming herself for allowing Amon to bask in tyranny for so long. She knew that it really wasn't her fault, but the thought was still there in the back of her mind, festering away. _If I'd been more vigilant, then maybe…_

"No…" Asami breathed the word. Her thoughts heading to her father, whom she knew she would have to face.

"Right…well then, we'll just have to stop him." she had intended that to sound serious, but the Avatar soon realised her choice of words sounded a little light-hearted. "Amon's got another thing coming if he thinks he can mess with our city."

"Settle down. Look, I know you all want to help, but I can handle this. What I really need is for the four of you to go inside and look after the children. The last thing I want is for Amon to get his hands on the Avatar." Lin spoke with the same authority that she held over her metal-bending officers back at the station. In truth, she didn't know what would happen, whether Amon's forces would attack the island, or how many would lay siege to it, but she couldn't bear for anyone else to lose their bending because of her. It had been bad enough seeing the demoralised faces of her troops. She did not want to see that look of pain etched onto such young people – people who had their whole lives ahead of them.

Korra was about to argue back, but instead grumbled out a subdued "Fine!" and walked off, the others following her back into the temple. Lin watched them walk off inside before turning to the White Lotus members to discuss potential strategies.

"Korra, no offense, but…isn't the main hall back that way?" Asami asked.

"Yeah, but we're not going there…" she said in a quiet voice. "Pema and the air acolytes will be with the kids. They'll be fine, I'm sure."

"So then, where are we going?" Bolin said, walking faster to catch up to Korra. Asami watched on, an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"We're going to catch a boat." She smiled.

"You can't be serious!" Mako cried. "We're going back to the city? Korra, Lin said herself that it was dangerous out there – it's turning into a warzone. I-_we_ can't risk losing the Avatar…" He didn't see Asami's pained look from the back of the group.

"Tenzin needs our help!" She exclaimed, stopping walking to look him in the eye. "Amon's already attacked half of the council – who's to say he won't try to get to Tenzin? …You can stay here if you want, but I'm going, whether you like it or not." She and Bolin walked off in a huff, Asami trailing behind, wanting to help her friends; dreading facing her father once more.

"This is it! Time for us to strike a blow against Amon for Republic City." Bolin beamed. "So what's your plan?" He asked eagerly. He would do anything to help her: she was the buffest, toughest, smartest, prettiest girl he'd ever met…and he'd gladly admit that to her, if it wasn't for the fact that she and his brother had made it clear they liked each other. But then, lately things had been kind of raw between them.

"The plan…?" Korra hesitated, slowing down as they reached the island's docks. "I'm…kinda just making it up as we go along…Besides, a plan won't be much good until we _know_ what we're up against." She added nervously, trying to reassure them.

Footsteps resonated loudly behind them. Someone was running down the sheltered section of the stairway, towards them. "Wait!" A voice cried.

"Wait." They yelled again, in a quieter tone, as they came ever closer.

The three of them turned to see Mako running towards them, an arm outstretched as if it could hold them in place for a little while longer.

"I'll…I'll come with you" He gasped out breathlessly.

"I thought you weren't coming?" Korra asked reproachfully, "What made you change your mind?"

"I just want to make sure you're safe…and that Tenzin is too." He added, after receiving a dark look from Asami. She quickly looked away after realising that he'd noticed. _Liar_, she called him in her mind.

"Well, okay then. Let's do this" Korra said, exuding confidence as she stepped into one of the speedboats tethered to the dock.

Mako and Asami were the last to get in the vessel. He calmly stepped down to the boat, offering her his hand in assistance. She snubbed him, easing herself down by gripping onto one of the docking posts.

"So, where'd you park the car?" Asami asked as they walked from the city's harbour. She was curious to see whether her friend's driving had improved.

"Erm…well." Korra hesitated, gesturing over to the vehicle wrapped around a lamp post.

"Woah…Nice parking…" she said slightly impressed that someone could be so _bad_ at driving.

"Hey, you guys left me in charge of this metal death trap – and I made it quite clear that me and cars don't get on. At all!" Korra said, flustered as she tried to defend herself.

"Well, we're here now. Let's get moving" Asami rushed over to the car, finding the Equalist gauntlet in the boot from one of their previous escapades. "This ought to come in handy. Oh, Korra, why don't I drive?" She suggested, seeing her friend about to sit behind the wheel was more than terrifying.

"Good idea. I'll erm, jump in the back."

Bolin nervously shouted out "I call shotgun!" as he saw his brother approach the front passenger seat. He was met with a patronising look from Mako. _Don't look at me like that! Ugh…You've been arguing all morning! You don't hear me complaining. Just sort things out with Korra; talk to Asami: straighten things out! _He tried to send his will to Mako, staring intently as a silent plea.

"What?"

"Um, nothing." However, Asami had also caught some of their conversation.

"Just get in the back, Mako…we both know you'd be happier there."

"Fine, I think I will." He pouted, knowing that he was being childish but too proud to admit it.

* * *

"I've dreamt of this day since the Triple Threat Triad took my wife from me…"Hiroshi began, hearing the confident strides of his approaching audience. He stood staring out of the window; the sun was beginning its descent over the city, enveloping everything in a soft orange glow, making the chaotic scenes of war almost beautiful. "A world without benders, where the public's voice is heard and respected." he frowned, anger and frustration brewing as he remembered his tough past as an inventor and apprentice, struggling to be recognised. His benefactor hadn't been a bender either. No, benders hadn't helped him find the recognition he deserved and they certainly hadn't helped anyone else either. "I'd hoped that I could have told Asami the truth…that she'd have been here with me when this glorious day came. I _thought_ she'd have understood." He croaked out bitterly, as his silent companion watched on. It was good to see his most loyal follower show his support, and rather amusing too. "But I see now. I finally made sense of why it had to come to this. I gave her too much freedom and I've paid the price for that. The benders of Republic City have corrupted my daughter and so it is my job to free her from them." He turned smiling to his faceless messiah, thanking him with a hand on his shoulder like a good friend, before he walked over to the long table which furnished the zeppelin. A decanter of port stood waiting with two tumblers beside it.

"I've waited for this day for so long. Waited for our triumph…even if it has come with a personal loss." He said, pouring the spirit between the two glasses. "We are striking a blow to save Republic City from itself. As you said, 'We are ridding it of its imperfection.' But…and I say this with some regret, what happens then? What next? What _is _there beyond the horizon?" He offered the glass in his left hand to his masked leader.

There was a moment of silence between them, but it wasn't awkward. They shared a pensive moment, one that belonged to two men with a shared dream and the hope of its realisation.

"What happens next…?" echoed the voice behind the mask, as he stared into the drink in his hand. "I thought a man of your ambition would know, Mr Sato." Hiroshi looked on, perplexed. It sounded like the voice spoke with a playful smile. "Beyond our horizon is simply the next great adventure."

"Of course, Amon, sir." Hiroshi beamed, banishing his doubts from his mind. What they were doing was right – _It had to be_. "To the next great adventure, then." He said raising his glass for a toast.

"To a fairer future." Amon's amiable mood was palpable through the varnished mask, as he returned the gesture. The chink of the glasses pierced the air.

* * *

**AN: So I hope you liked it. As always, reviews are more than welcomed :)**

**pyON~**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: pyON here again - sorry it's been a while. I've been busy chasing up the admin team for my uni. Wow - this is another long chapter! Hopefully I've done this scene justice... (this one is defo rated T because of injury) I just figured that the way Tenzin was flung around in this scene in the show, he would have sustained some form of injury. Mako's still being a bit of an idiot in this, but at least he's *trying* to make amends. ^^;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra. This was written purely for entertainment and I do not intend to profit from it.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Love and War

Tenzin hadn't been at the Police Headquarters long before disaster struck. Despite what he had said earlier, it hadn't ended up being much of a meeting: the air was too tense and it was all too clear that everyone present was running on vapours. Even in the communications room, at the heart of the building, he could hear the Equalist's airships overhead.

"Sir! Air Unit 7 has been taken out by an Equalist ship! They've crashed into the harbour." a panicked voice squeaked out the latest catastrophe.

"Send a river rescue crew over to the Eastern shore. We need to regroup – we're spread too thin as it is." Chief Saikhan gave his orders in a voice which announced a life-long smoking habit.

"All river rescue units have been sabotaged, sir."

"What?!" the chief grumbled, before searching through a draw for his packet of cigarettes.

"I need to send a wire to the General of the United Forces." Tenzin spoke urgently, quickly relaying the message to the officer manning the telegraph. _Please let this work…_ He thought, gritting his teeth. He was unsure of just how much longer the city could last against the siege. This was no time for pride and so, he felt no shame in calling upon outside help. _I just hope that it's not too late…and that there's still a city left to save when they get here. _

"Your wire's been sent, sir." the naïve looking officer called.

"Thank you–" Tenzin was cut off.

"Sir, the phone lines are dead!" A shrill voiced female officer cried.

Tenzin and Saikhan shared an anxious glance before slipping back into their usual mask of composure and authority. For the phone lines to be cut so quickly after having sent a wire, surely that would mean…_they were being watched._ The Equalists must have known that they were here and using the police headquarters as a communications link for their forces.

A loud hissing noise punctuated the uneasy silence. A fog began to seep through the air vents that lined the ceiling.

"Saikhan – the vents!" Tenzin splurted out through a cough. He put his arm over his mouth to try and prevent himself from breathing in anymore of the gas.

Then the lights went out.

"Here. Catch!" the chief called over, throwing Tenzin a torch.

"Thanks." He coughed. "We need to evacuate immediately. Everyone, stay close to me and stay alert. For all we know the Equalists could be using this smokescreen as a cover."

The scene that greeted them outside turned out to be more horrific than the one they'd left behind. Six gigantic mechs towered over them, flanked by about twenty chi-blockers. Tenzin was right: the Equalists knew where they were. The gas attack had merely been to smoke them out of the building.

Screams shattered his train of thought. Metal benders were being plucked from the ground as the mechs brandished their magnetic plates. Tenzin frantically tried to airbend a current to bring them back. _We can't afford any more casualties – Amon won't take anyone else. I won't allow it!_

It was no use. The magnetic, brute force of the mechs ripped them from his grasp.

"Saikhan – No!" Tenzin gasped in shock.

An incoming metal pincer caught him off guard. Quickly, he jumped out of its path, only for a second attack to come hurtling towards him from the other side. The blow winded him, sending him flying back into the wall behind him. Left spluttering and coughing, Tenzin could feel himself falling back to the ground. He bent a cushion of air to break his fall, but he knew it would only reduce the impact. It was simply the best he could do for now.

"No…" he mumbled, clutching his side as he tried to stand. The mechs that had been attacking him stayed at a distance, protecting the vans as the chi blockers loaded them with Saikhan's men. Somewhere over to his left, Tenzin could hear the whirl of disturbed air as a more attentive troop stood watch, twirling his mace as a threat. It was a clear warning to the injured councilman: _you're injured; you're not going anywhere and you'll stay still if you know what's good for you_. Silently and with some regret, Tenzin agreed with this unvoiced threat; with this many Equalists against him and still reeling from the last blow, it would be safer for him to wait and recover, until a more opportune moment presented itself.

A loud beep created a momentary distraction. It sounded like a Sato mobile's horn approaching at some speed towards them. Yet, this must be a trick! He was sure that the police had cleared all the streets in a two mile radius of the city centre. The public had been warned to stay indoors at all costs. A clang of metal nearby was soon followed by a heavy thud. A flourish of flames crowned the nearest mech as it lay face down on the ground, surrounded by the smouldering wreckage of a vehicle. Tenzin tentatively turned to stand, his hand still pressed tight against his ribs.

"H-Hey! You there! Back down – Now!" The over-zealous Equalist shouted over to him, but the waver in his voice suggested that his nerves were getting to him. Perhaps he didn't know how to deal with uncooperative hostages.

Tenzin drew himself into a fighting stance, ready to give it his all, when the man let out a shrill cry and headed back towards the revving vans. Another large mech teetered on its heels, before falling in a crescendo of metal and ice.

"Woo! Two down – four to go!" Korra cried triumphantly, before running over to the injured councilman. "Tenzin, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Korra." He replied, quickly moving his hand from his side, "Did you see where those vans went?" He asked, with a determined look on his face.

"I…I'm not sure. Look out!" She quickly firebended a blast just inches in front of his face, burning the oncoming net to a husk, before it could ensnare him. She ran over to their attacker, a slightly bow-legged Equalist, who seeing his last efforts had been unsuccessful, was now brandishing a lightning rod, its generator strapped to his back. Within a couple of minutes, the man was incapacitated, his feet swallowed up by the earth and a gush of snow bent into ice around his hands, still wrapped around his weapon. Rather than relishing in the victory, she moved on to where Bolin stood toe to toe with one of the giant mechanical monstrosities.

Mako was flung across the ground by one of the mechs. _Dammit!_ He thought, gritting his teeth, _Hold in there just a little longer, Bolin_. He felt the back of his head collide with something. It wasn't the severe impact he had been expecting, however.

"Hello, Mako." Came the surprised greeting from Tenzin, whose leg he had just been thrown at. "Need a hand?" He asked, helping the young man to his feet. He quickly thanked him, before racing back over to help his brother. Yet, instead of coming to Bolin's rescue, he was left watching Korra, charge up the makeshift ramp Bolin had bent for the Sato mobile and plunge spears of ice into the mech's exhaust pipes, shutting it down immediately.

"Hehe, anyone would think I'm making a habit out of you saving me." Bolin chuckled, watching intently as Korra jumped down from the war machine. "Not that I'm complaining." he smiled.

Mako turned away. They might be okay, but there were still three other mechs running around the square as well as a dozen remaining chi blockers.

"Asami!" He called over to her, running to her aid as he saw two of the chi blockers approaching her. She turned to face them, kneeing one in the stomach and elbowing him in the back of his head, as he fell to the ground, folded in two in agony.

Mako paused, slightly in shock…he had never realised she was such a competent fighter. He had always assumed that he would be the one to protect her in their relationship. Now it seemed like he had never known her at all – she didn't need him. Certainly not to protect her anyway. Maybe Asami was right, he thought bitterly, maybe they weren't right for each other.

"Nice moves… How…? Where'd you learn to fight like that…?" Mako felt truly lost for words.

"You seriously thought I was some damsel in distress? Thanks a lot, Mako." The bitter words fell fluidly from her mouth. It was becoming second nature to her. Yet something about his melancholy expression made her answer his question with a small smile of apology, "…My dad always wanted to make sure I could look after myself, that I'd be safe. I always thought that was because of our wealth…but he probably meant it to be so I could fight alongside him."

"I'm sorry…" Mako trailed off, unsure what he was sorry for. Maybe he had hoped it would wash away all of the problems they'd had, or was it to show solidarity in lieu of her problems with her father? He didn't know why he said it; but he meant it.

A brief flicker of understanding passed between them, as though the past months of heart-break could have melted away, leaving them without any bitter feelings towards each other. She stared at him in shock. But then the moment passed. In a blink, she returned to her rage-tinted view of him. "…Whatever." She began to walk away, to where Korra had just slew another mecha with Bolin and Tenzin had taken out the last of the chi blockers. _No matter what he says, or how he tries…I doubt he really understands what it's like for me. _

"Asami – Wait!" He grabbed her shoulder, "Look, I'm sorry about all I've put you through. I know I should have been honest with how I felt about Korra and you should have been the first to know. You shouldn't have had to find out the way you did and…I'll make it up to you – I pro-"

"You really think this is the time and place to discuss our relationship? Seriously? This is ridiculous – you're being ridiculous!" She practically shouted at him, running off to help take down the last two mechas.

"Then just tell me: _What the hell do you want from me?!"_ She heard Mako shout from behind her.

_I shouldn't have to tell you! That's the point. _She ran faster, hoping to be able to get involved in the fight to take her mind off their arguments.

Bolin, Korra and Tenzin stood ready to attack the mecha that loomed over them. The man at its controls glared at them with malice. His comrade stood a little to the side moving to attack from the rear, but Tenzin followed his movements, adapting his stance. Preparing himself for an ambush.

The mech to the left raised an arm high above its trunk. A sudden gust of wind knocked it from its feet, sending it crashing down on its front. The pilot of the hefty machine was trapped and unconscious in the pit of the machine.

Aided by the momentary distraction, Korra seized her chance. She bent a slab of ice in front of the remaining mecha. Bolin saw what she had in mind and so sent tremors under its hulking mass. The Equalist's face flashed with shock and panic, which he barely concealed, as he tried to regain balance.

Nervously, Asami watched on, hoping to find a window of opportunity so she could join in. She grabbed a chunk of the mangled Sato Mobile door, whose wreck they had been stood by. With a little strain, she threw it at the mecha's ankle, throwing its balance off completely. With a crash it came tumbling down, landing on its back. Bolin caught sight of its driver attempting to pry the door open and flee.

"Oh no, you don't!" He said, bending a large slab of concrete over the top of the machine.

"I'd say that does it." Korra beamed, looking relieved as she gazed at the wreckage in the square.

"Yeah, but what are we gonna do about them?" Bolin asked, pointing down to the fallen mecha in front of him. "We can't just leave them here."

"We can take them inside. Even if Saikhan and the rest of the force have been abducted, I'm sure the keys to the cells will be in the office. Hopefully there'll be enough cells for all of them."

"Oh yeah…I'd forgot that we were outside the Police Station. Mako and I don't often come to this area of town." …_given our history, we tend to avoid it. _He added nervously.

"Are you alright?" Asami asked worriedly, noticing that Tenzin's hand hadn't left his right hand side.

"It's…nothing. Just a bruise, that's all." he grimaced.

"Here let me see to it." Korra stepped forward, already bending the water onto her now iridescent hands. When she saw how he shyed away from her touch initially she then teased, "You don't trust you mother's techniques?" with a smirk.

"Fine, but I want Asami, Bolin and Mako to help round the Equalists into the cells. Be careful. Make sure to disarm them and watch each other's backs. The key should be at the front desk" He added grudgingly. If the way Saikhan kept the office was anything like how Lin had arranged it, then they'd find the key in the top drawer behind the main desk.

"Right." Bolin agreed. "Hey Mako, get over here!" He yelled over to his brother.

"…Is everyone alright?" Mako asked after running over to them.

"Yeah, we're fine." Korra answered quietly, preoccupied with Tenzin's injuries.

"So…What did you want me to do?" he asked, looking from Bolin to Tenzin, the Avatar to Asami's hard glare.

"Just help us get them behind bars." Asami said impatiently.

Slowly they began to free the men from the metal armour, dragging the unconscious ones into the building. Those that were conscious walked with shoulders stooped in regret or fought with little energy to escape, but Bolin had made sure to bind their hands with earthbending. The square was soon returning to a sense of normalcy. Though with some bitterness Asami noted that a few of the infantry Equalists had fled while they were fighting the last two mechas.

"Guys, look…" Mako suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. They turned towards him. With a grunt of pain, Tenzin stood, and walked over, about to thank them for their work. He and Korra then realised what the others were staring up at: a solitary blimp passed in front of the sun, eclipsing the light for a second. It was heading towards Air Temple Island.

"No…Pema" Tenzin whispered in a grave voice.

* * *

**AN: So let me know what you think. OuO**

**pyON~**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: sorry it's been so long since I last updated this fic. I've moved back to my term-time address (which doesn't get internet til October); had freshers' flu (Again! Third year and I still get it - shocking!) and have needed to prove to my tutors that I'm being as efficient as possible with my dissertation...yikes.**

**Anyway, enough about that. Here's the next chapter, which I hope you'll all enjoy. ^o^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra, or its characters. This fan-made story was written purely for entertainment purposes, with no intention of profit being made.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Equalised

"Thank goodness, you're back." Lin greeted them, arms crossed as she watched them climb down from Oogi's saddle. "We weren't sure what to expect."

"I could say the same thing." Tenzin said, relieved to see that she and the children were safe. "Thank you, Lin."

A blur of yellow and racing feet came to a halt in front of them. "Daddy you're home!" Ikki grinned. She was shortly joined by her elder sister and Meelo.

"And just what are you three doing out here?" Tenzin asked sternly, before turning to Lin with a worry-etched brow, "I thought you were making sure they were out of harm's way, Lin."

"I _was_ but they were having none of it…" she sighed, holding her head in one hand. "Besides, you trained them well: this is their home and they wanted to protect it every bit as much as everyone else. Heck, they fought as well as everyone else!" She smiled, stripping away the last ten years from her face…except for her scars; they alone remained as testimony to what could happen to a policewoman in Republic City.

"Cheer up, Korra, you made it back in one piece and so did the guy you-"

"So…uh Lin! Where's Pema?" Korra spoke loudly, cutting off Ikki's all too innocent tongue.

"Pema!" Tenzin gasped. His mind racing; wondering where she could be, or what could be happening to her, or if she had chosen to be away from the children. "Where…?"

"She's fine. She'll be fine" she amended. However, rather than reassuring him, he looked even more frantic. She shook her head, amazed at how he could still panic so much, even though they'd been through this before. "She's in the temple's clinic. Go, be with your wife." She spoke with a condescending smile, concealing a laugh.

* * *

A small cry filled the air as he raced down the corridors towards the infirmary. The baby – his child – was already here. He regretted not being around for the birth, but was over it soon enough. He opened the door and fell in love all over again.

"Tenzin…" his wife stared lovingly at him, despite looking truly exhausted. "Say hello to our new son."

"He's beautiful…" He found himself inexplicably lost for words, walking over to his wife and the latest addition to the family. The child's grey eyes glistened in the light, a tiny light of hope born into such troubling times. Did the boy know how impromptu, yet miraculously he had timed his descent into mortality? "Our son…Rohan." laughter lines crunched together as he tried out the name they had chosen all those months ago.

A trio of faces appeared at the doorway. They shied away from their father's questioning look.

"Come join us, kids. Come and meet your little brother." Pema smiled, waving at them as she chuckled at their unease.

"A brother? _Finally!_" Meelo gave a big toothy grin, showing off the gap in his smile.

"What did you name him? Or are you still deciding?" Jinora asked, perching on the edge of the bed.

"Rohan. His name is Rohan." Tenzin glowed with pride, staring at the small wonder in his arms.

"I'm sorry." came the frantic voice at the doorway. Lin's spoke in a rush, her words punctuated with heavy breathing. "I need to borrow your father for a moment. I wouldn't ask but it's urgent."

"…Pema?" Tenzin seemed to be asking for both her permission and to take their son back into her arms. Slightly bemused, she nodded, altogether unsure what had caused such a commotion that Lin would have run to meet them.

"Where's daddy going?" Ikki whined, watching her father rush out of the room, his robes billowing behind his retreating form.

"I don't know, dear, but it's going to be okay. I promise." She wasn't sure why she added that last part, but something about Lin's expression had told her that whatever the news was, it would bode ill for them.

Satisfied with her mother's response, she and her elder sister returned to fussing over the baby. Meelo sat at the end of the bed, mumbling about how he couldn't wait until the child was old enough to play air ball with them and that he would beat him easily when he was.

"What is it Lin? What's happening?" Tenzin quested for information; hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

"It's…It's Amon" she answered once she'd got her breath back. "He's sent more airships – They're heading right this way."

"No…" He breathed. "H-how much time do we have?"

"You're planning on fighting them?" She asked incredulously. "The White Lotus sentries are still recovering and, I don't know about you, but –"

"No – Of course not! I don't think we could hold them off if we tried: we were lucky earlier." He gazed out at the horizon, lit softly by a descending sun. Five airships lurked on the horizon. "We need to evacuate." He said despondently, truly disappointed that it had come to this – being chased out of his own home.

"Yes. I think that would be for the best too. Your family are the world's last airbenders…if Amon gets his hands on you…well, I dread to think what would happen." She frowned, remembering what her mother had told her of growing up during the hundred year war. That had begun with the near extinction of the air nomads. The thought of seeing the world in such a state in her lifetime truly scared her. "What about the avatar? I don't doubt that it would be best that we split up; Amon is less likely to find us if we are spread around the city." Her eyes remained on the oncoming airships.

"We will have to persuade her to flee, but I don't think she'll take it well." he sighed. "She'd probably see it as a defeat…giving up without a fight." He shook his head in worry, rubbing his temples.

"She makes your father seem quite tame." Lin smirked.

"Yes…and that's exactly what worries me." he frowned, then turned to meet her scrutinizing look.

"You always talk about her like she's your daughter, or some problem child." she teased. In the next breath her tone changed completely, so as to avoid his response. "So - now we've decided what must be done. All that's left is to do it. Those zeppelins will probably be on our doorstep within the hour…I'll warn the sentries and the air acolytes – I'll leave Korra to you!" She said, heading off towards the epicentre of the air temple.

* * *

Walking down the wood-cladded colonnade, hearing his footsteps echo around him…if he couldn't see the encroaching threat with his own eyes, he would have doubted its existence. Everything felt like a mess of tangled emotions and chaos with intervals of normality. He had a new son, but the city was defenceless without its police force and it seemed that the world was becoming a much more dangerous place by the day. He paused, seeing Korra sat with her friends on the temple's steps.

"…Korra" He called out in a gruff voice, weary from the day's events and his growing fears.

"Oh, hey Tenzin." her smile soon faded when she saw his face, written with anguish and pessimism. "Is everything okay?" She asked, probably thinking the root of his problems lay with some complication in Pema's condition.

Wordlessly, he went over to where they were sat, slumping down on the top of the stairs next to her. The other three stared up at them from the lower steps, trying to read the atmosphere.

"See you in a bit, Korra." Bolin smiled, before motioning to the others that they ought to move on and give them some space.

"Thanks" she said returning the smile. The remaining two watched as they left.

Finally, Tenzin spoke "Korra…Amon's forces are preparing for another attack on the island…"

"Good, well I want to fight. I _want_ to help." She enthused, punching her right hand into the other as emphasis of that point. When he didn't say anything in return, she felt confused. "I want Amon to know that I'm not running scared."

"Korra, I don't want you to be here when that happens."

"…What? Why?!"

"If Amon got his hands on you…the world needs their avatar and" he paused in reluctance, "well, no one wants to see you get hurt, Korra."

"I'm not afraid of him…I mean, I don't _want_ to lose my bending, but if that's what it takes to beat that guy, then I don't mind: I owe it to the city and to the world to stop him."

"I'm not questioning your intentions…I'm not going to stop you from fighting him either. I just feel that we should act at a more opportune moment. Please. Trust me, Korra." His eyes bore into hers intently, pleading with her. She knew that he wouldn't ask her like this unless it was the utmost necessity. They shared a brief moment of understanding.

She frowned, before reluctantly saying "…Fine, but he still has it coming."

"Thank you."

"But how will we be better prepared to fight him later? …He's already taken over the city."

"I sent a telegram to the United Forces earlier…" He groaned as he shifted his weight, even though the physician had seen to his wounds, he felt sure that his broken ribs were going to bother him for quite a while. "General Iroh and his men should be arriving within a couple of days."

"What about Pema and the kids? You're not exactly fighting fit yourself, either…" She said, wondering about how they would be protected, considering Tenzin's injuries.

He considered contesting that statement, but thought better of it. "They'll be fine. I'll take them with me to the Southern Water Tribe, far enough away from all of this. They should be safe with their grandmother." He smiled. "Really, Korra, it's fine. But we need to evacuate immediately. Come on." He staggered to his feet.

"Right, I'll go find the others and get Naga saddled up. Good luck." She shifted her weight awkwardly, before giving him a hug. "I'll see you all when this is over – you'd better believe that!" She called out as she ran off. He stared at the looming figures in the sky above him for a moment. They were closer now. Perhaps only half an hour's travel away…and that was a generous estimate at best. With a heavy heart, he returned to the temple's clinic dreading having to warn his family and see their faces shadowed with fear.

"Oh, woah! Hey Korra!" Bolin said, startled as Korra raced past him and the others. "Where's the fire?" He chuckled.

"There's no time. Quickly. We need to get ready and go! _Now._" She called back, without stopping.

"Go?" Mako asked, trying to catch up with her. "Why? What's going on?"

"Amon's attacking the island. We need to evacuate – immediately." She said, stopping outside the stable where Oogi and Naga had been resting. The polar bear dog raised her head from her paws languorously, as if she was judging them for having woken her.

"Come on, Naga. Let's get you saddled up." Korra frowned as her steed feigned sleep once more. "I'm sorry for waking you up, girl…come on" she pleaded. Naga slowly stood up from the hay-strewn floor, padding over to the avatar with an expression which said _do I really have to?_

"I'm impressed, Korra. I mean, it's not like you to be so…_okay_ with running from a fight." Mako scoffed.

"Yeah" Asami laughed. "Isn't that why you took up pro-bending?"

"I'm not running from a fight…trust me – Amon is going to pay for what he's done. I just think we should live to fight another day…" She said, stroking Naga's muzzle as she fastened the buckles around her underbelly.

"Tenzin gives good advice then." Asami teased.

"Hehe, yeah…Anyway, are you guys set? Cos, we're ready to go when you are – "

A crash split the air asunder. A plume of smoke and dust erupted from the temple's main entrance.

"Jump on!" Korra shouted. They obliged, hastened by the proximity of the attack. "Oogi, yip-yip!" She called over to the stable's other inhabitant. They would meet Tenzin and the others on the other side of the island, so they could go their separate ways, _without_ having to enter the fray. Or at least that was the plan in progress, anyway.

Tendrils of metal rope fell from the sky, as the Equalist troops began their assault on the island. Korra led an exodus in the other direction. Following the shore, they headed over to the clinic in the temple's west wing. Shrubs and plants passed in a blur; a green smudge of foliage. Waves chopped and grew to a dull roar of static around them. Sand sprayed up from Naga's hastened galloping paws. Oogi flew as the crow flies, straight over the island, deftly weaving in and out of the path of the zeppelins.

"Tenzin! Tenzin!" Korra called, seeing the airbender, his family and Lin walking out of one of the many archways of the temple. Their faces were solemn. He gave a weak smile as he saw Oogi was waiting for them. "Woah, Naga."

"Thank you, Korra." He said quietly. "I guess this is goodbye for now." He walked over to her, clasping her hand between his, "Good luck" he said firmly. "Amon has taken over the city, but I expect there will be some parts of the city resisting his influence. Try to stay close to the harbour and alert General Iroh, should the situation require it."

"I will. You take care, all of you." She smiled, before steeling her countenance and urging Naga back into a frantic pace.

They fled in silence for most of the long journey.

"So this is it, huh?" Bolin asked. "I mean, who knows when we'll see them all again?"

"Shut up, Bo" Mako commanded sternly. "We don't need reminding about it."

"No he's right." Asami contemplated. "We don't know when, or even _if_, we'll see them again. It's kind of sad. Nothing feels right…even with all this chaos, there have been moments of normalcy amongst it all."

"Yeah…" Korra agreed, "But, could we save this for another time, guys? It's getting hard to concentrate with you guys talkin– Woah!"

She quickly urged Naga to the side, tugging on the reins as an Equalist troop came crashing down the cliff side towards them as they approached the harbour. Mako shot a blast of fire towards the assailant, making him lose his balance. Seeing that the man was no longer a threat, Korra motioned to carry on.

"I guess we're not taking the ferry across then…I hope you guys are open to alternatives." She gave a grim chuckle, imagining their reactions to what she had in mind.

"We'll have to be" Mako said in his usual serious tone.

"Hyah! Come, Naga." She ushered them to the water's edge, the polar-bear-dog all too easily venturing into the channel. Korra then bent arcs of water in a sphere around them. Bolin looked up nervously, as though he imagined the waves to come crashing down on him at any moment…but he trusted Korra. He smiled, silently laughing at his involuntary reaction, watching her confident movements as she practised her native form of bending. From the rear of the saddled group, Asami caught a glimpse of an Equalist flail speeding towards them. Its shape was warped by the bubble, like a fish-eye lens. It would have crashed into them, but in that same second, they were under the waves and swimming towards Republic City and moderate safety.

They were forced to resurface a couple of times for air, but were met with no difficulties. After an hour, or perhaps it was a little longer, they reached the shoreline, a mile or so east of the main harbour. Mako was quick to point out the problems they would face with trying to hide out in a hotel or someone's home or the pro-bending arena, despite Korra and Asami's wishes.

"Okay, so what do _you_ have in mind, wise guy?" Asami jeered.

"We'll need to find somewhere that's largely unheard of…like the old train stations or somewhere underground perhaps."

"I hate to say it, but he's got a point…" Korra mumbled, thinking of the cold nights yet to come, shuddering at the thought. It was one of the few things she _didn't_ miss from home.

"Well, what about over there?" Bolin pointed over to their left at a small inlet, where a shuttered entrance protruded from the rock.

"A sewage pipe? Well…I'll say this, I don't think Amon would even _want _to find us, if he knew we were hiding there." Korra laughed.

"No, I think it's just a storm drain that lets out here." Asami corrected.

"I don't care what it is: for now it's our best bet." Mako smiled grimly.

"Okay then. One makeshift home coming up!" Bolin cracked his knuckles, shifting into his stance. They watched in silent awe as the metal grate and the rock around it were pulled away with his earthbending. "Come on then" He called back to them, dropping the chunk of earth to the side of the entrance.

They began to head inside, Korra first, followed by Mako and Asami. Mako gestured for her to go ahead. He was greeted with a fierce look "Don't think that I'm done with you…there are just more important things to worry about at the moment." She then walked past him, leaving him dumb-struck.

"Erm, Mako, you going in?" Bolin asked sheepishly after a while. "I need to close this up...otherwise it's like a huge signpost to the bad guys."

"Uh…right. Yeah. Sorry…I'll see you inside" He smiled faintly at his brother.

* * *

**AN: I hope that was okay...It would have been a LOT longer (originally there was going to be a scene between Asami and Mako in this). You guys'll just have to wait til the next chapter for that though~**

**As usual, feel free to R&R :)**

**pyON~**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: wow...mamoth chapter. Didn't mean for it to be so long, but once I got the atmosphere I was after, this thing practically wrote itself! I just wanted a FEELS chapter, to justify everyone's motivations. Oh and as promised, there is a scene between Mako and Asami in this. The reason for calling this chapter "Undone" should become evident towards the end ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Korra or its characters. This work of fiction was written purely for entertainment purposes, without any intention of profitting. All credit belongs to the shows original creators etc.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Undone

Plink, plop. Water pattered to the floor somewhere in the gloom. The four of them and Naga squelched down the puddle-strewn pathway with eyes full of nerves and curiosity. Round the corner, they could hear a faint mumbling sound, like many voices talking at once, yet it was not a cacophony of noise…it sounded like a radio with the volume wound down. Shadows cast of human forms hunched over fires; others stood dancing in the warm light. An air of festivity festooned the place. They seemed defiant of their circumstance – of living in slums, run out of their own homes – and instead filled the space they had with what joy they could share. Yet, despite all this there was no way of truly disguising what had happened to them. The smell of long boiled cabbage clung in the musty air and the older citizens seemed to watch on with a disparaging look in their eyes, which said _'if only it could stay this way…'_

"A storm drain…huh?" Mako looked pointedly at his brother, who didn't reply.

"Welcome, strangers." An old man had crept up to greet them from the shadows. He seemed like a former businessman; his hair was scruffy, but not unkempt; his once preened and polished pencil moustache, was now being joined by splinters of grey showing through around the jawline. His tie was undone and his shirt stained, but he still fell back on a formal handshake, heartily exchanged with each member of the group.

"Uh…hi" Korra blinked, surprised. "…Are _all_ these people refugees from Amon's attacks?"

"…Whether we like it, or not." The dishevelled man shrugged. "We've all had to change how we see ourselves and our future, thanks to what's going on up there in the city. If that means a fall from grace, then that's our burden." he paused, a hand in his pocket clenched tightly around something. His expression hardened for a moment, then smoothed back into an imitation of a smile. "You must be frozen. Come sit around the fire; I'll get you some hot soup if you'd like?" He waved them to follow him to the cluster of tents lining the fire-lit gathering.

"Thank you" Asami smiled, warming her hands around the earthenware bowl. The unglazed crockery was rough against her skin, but the weight and warmth of it dissipated any discomfort.

"Thanks" Korra and Bolin said in unison. A flush crept over their faces immediately. Bolin raked a hand through his hair, scuttling off quickly to a nearby bench with his share. His brother gave a startled look as he sat down, crimson-faced, beside him, but didn't bother to question it.

"You and your friends don't need worry about it. There's plenty for everyone – _especially_ the Avatar. Heck, what else am I gonna do with all these cabbages…? It's not like anyone's going to buy them off me now my company's gone bust" He spooned a portion into her bowl casually, staring off into the distance. "Not that they would anyway…I bet my name's as good as dirt at the moment, thanks to all the prying the police have been doing. But, that's life for ya, ain't it?" He smiled widely at her, fishing for a favour.

"Thanks for the soup. I promise you, Amon won't be making life difficult for anyone when I'm done with him." she said in a carefully measured voice, turning to join her friends. The Cabbage Corp executive gave a heavy sigh, frowning as he dished out a portion of soup for himself; all the while grumbling as he returned to his tent. It hadn't been exactly what he wanted to hear, but the life of a cabbage merchant was always going to be filled with hardship and compromise.

"Now what do we do?" Mako asked after a short while. Korra put her spoon back to the bowl, despite having been about to eat. Three pairs of eyes looked at her searchingly. She knew they had all given up some part of their lives or had become entangled in this mess by association with her. That was exactly why she couldn't let them down. She would have to keep moving: and luckily for her, that's exactly what she'd done all her life.

"We need to rest. Like Tenzin said, we need to gather our strength and attack at a more opportune moment." She spoke into her bowl of soup with a hard voice. "If we're prepared, then there's nothing we can't do…Amon won't stand a chance." She placed her bowl under the bench, before standing. She could feel the weight of the day's events bearing down on her. Try as she may, she couldn't help the unease from leaking into her voice. Though theirs was not a hopeless situation, she could not abide waiting for things to happen, even if she knew it was necessary. "Good night, guys." _Maybe I can sleep right through to when the United Forces arrive. Who knows, if I sleep long enough, I might wake to find that this was all a dream…? If only._

"G'night, Korra." Bolin smiled faintly as he watched her walk away into the shadows. Turning back to the others, he couldn't help but voice his concern. His smile faded, "She looks beat already, huh?" He had pained look in his eye, which didn't go unnoticed in the flickering fire light.

"It's Korra: she just…really doesn't like feeling useless. But there's nothing productive to _do_ until we're ready to strike." Mako agreed.

Asami offered her still full bowl of soup to Bolin, who had begun collecting everyone's dishes. "You okay, Asami? You haven't touched your soup." He frowned.

"I'm fine. I'm just…I'm just not hungry."

"You're thinking about your dad again?" Mako asked. A sudden intake of air, clipped his question short, as he realised that he was overstepping the mark again. Asami had made it quite clear that she didn't want him talking to her. Yet he didn't apologise; he was still concerned for her nonetheless. Instead, he watched the intricacies of emotion play across her melancholy face. Flashes of pride – a desire to deny the true content of her feelings to him; of sadness – that his words were true; of irritation – that he could still care after what he'd done to her; and of regret…that things were no longer so easy between them anymore.

"Yes" she spoke softly and sombrely, walking off without another word to the two boys. Mako caught a glimpse of some bitter edged misery in her eyes, as she left them for the night.

"Well, we sure know how to clear a room!" Bolin remarked, leaning his head on his elbows.

"Yeah…seems that way." Mako stared into the darkness after the two young women.

Bolin coughed for his attention. "I, erm…Well, you know, I'm sorry, Mako…for telling Asami about what happened between you and Korra. It just…slipped out, I guess. And, truth be told, she needed to know…I'm sorry." He repeated, regretting having meddled in his brother's love life. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have undermined his brother's decisions: they had been a lifeline in their past. As orphans, Mako took any opportunity for money or for food. He did whatever he could so he and Bolin may survive. At the time Bolin had been too young to realise exactly what he was doing, but he knew now that his brother had always filled in for the parents he could barely remember…the ones who had given Mako his scarf.

"…I know, Bo. It's okay." Mako smiled, grimly, the emotion not quite reaching his eyes. "I'm not so blind to see my ship has already set sail." he recalled an old Fire Nation proverb, the familiarity of it, reassuring him that he could still resolve the situation…somehow.

"Exactly" Bolin yawned. "Thanks, bro… Ugh, I think the girls had the right idea. See you in the mornin'."

"Good night, Bolin."

* * *

A bang in the dead of night called all to attention. Naga's pricked ears and her sudden movements woke the Avatar, an otherwise heavy sleeper. Asami quickly grabbed the Equalist glove from under her jacket, which had served as her makeshift pillow. Bolin ruefully roused himself. Mako cast a small flame within the palm of his hand, lighting the way. Through the shafts of the drain's access grate, they could see a jet plume of smoke billowing out across the harbour in the early morning light. It was little after sunrise and already catastrophe had struck.

Could it be that Amon knew they had fled here?

A clatter of feet came from behind them. One of the slum's inhabitants, whom they had seen dancing around the fire just last night, met them with a grave face and bloodshot eyes. "My head…" she mumbled, as she tried to peer over their shoulders. After a quick surveying glance, the analysis was complete.

"A false alarm everybody." she winced openly at the sound of her own voice as she called out to the forum of terrified faces. "Looks like another sailing ship's hit one of Amon's mines." And with that she shuffled back to her tent.

"Mines…?!" Bolin gasped after the message had sunk in. "Oh no…this is bad – real bad!"

"The United Forces should be here by tomorrow morning…" Korra said worriedly. "There's no way they'll make it to port with those mines in place. It's over!" She looked dejected and about to slither down the wall to sit on the floor, but after seeing how damp it was, thought better of it. "What are we going to do?" she whispered to herself, staring down at the puddles beneath her feet, eyes wide open in shock.

"Whatever it takes. Come on." Mako grumbled, grabbing her by the arm. Asami watched from the edge of the group, no longer surprised by these exchanges.

"Where are we going?" Asami called out to Mako, as he led them double-time back to the cabbage merchant's tent.

"To pool our resources together." He grinned.

"Right…but how? It's not like we know where the United Forces _are_, exactly – and even if we did, Amon would try and stop us before we could organise a rendezvous with them." Bolin contested.

"We need to at least try. We'll ask around camp and see what options we have."

Within an hour of probing for information, they'd regrouped and found themselves none the wiser.

"It's hopeless, isn't it?" Korra groaned, leaning back on the bench, staring at the hole in the roof, patched up with orange and red drapes, bearing the insignias of various nations. "Our one shot at this and it's looking like a nightmare!"

No one spoke. They were all too disappointed with the crushing reality of their impossible situation. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they must have acknowledged that the radio was playing. A man's croaky voice, perhaps in his late forties, rang out through the wireless. Whoever he was, they couldn't help notice how unconventional a choice he had been to read the news. His accent was so very different to the standard Ba Sing Se pronunciations, which were so often heard in official broadcasts.

'…_And in other news it has been confirmed that the match between the Fire Ferrets and the Wolf Bats in Saturday's pro-bending final has been declared a draw, due to interference. Civil rights activists as part of an underground movement called the Equalists stormed the match, turning it into a rally for their leader, Amon –' _

"Hey – could you turn that up a bit?" Korra said, jerking herself upright, the radio's news show having caught her attention. She hadn't realised that news of their exploits would have reached the world-wide media. It was hard to think that the match would have been called a tie…the events had been so chaotic that she had assumed that it would have been left unresolved and open to a rematch.

The news reporter continued, the intonation of his voice alone, expressing his true opinion on the events he was meant to be impartial to:

'_While spectators and contestants alike have lost their bending at the hands of this man, reports are also coming in that the former chief of police in Republic City has been taken into hospital, where she is being treated following her injuries. It has been said that she is stable and that the incident is pending investigation, as soon as she recovers…'_

"No…Lin." Asami said in disbelief. "They didn't manage to get away…"

"It can't be – what about Tenzin and the kids? …Pema?" Korra could feel herself welling up, a lump formed in her throat. "That's it – he's _not_ having them! We need to get them back."

'_No word has been confirmed on the Avatar's whereabouts, as of yet, but we _**know**_ that she can take 'im. Go get 'em, Korra – International UF Radio's behind you! Wiee hehe hooo!' _he cackled , as if suddenly remembering his obligation to objectivity, the reporter cleared his throat and began again. _'The number again, if you'd like to join in our live debate, is…'_

"…International _UF_ radio?" Korra said with amusement. One of the campers on a nearby bench to them had been staring at them for a while. It was at this moment that he chose to approach them.

"You didn't know about them?" He was met with puzzled looks. "They're an independent radio show; they change their frequency every day, giving out a coded version of the next station at the end of each broadcast. From what I've heard they aren't allied with any nation or any political schemes…Heck, you know what I think?" They shook their heads furtively. They really didn't. "I reckon it's the United Forces themselves that's set this whole thing up!" He chuckled with a wild look in his eye. In a strange way he seemed to be at once, convincing them to believe them but also to dispute his 'wild' accusations.

"The United Forces…? Really?" Mako criticised. "That's insane…they're peace-makers; _not _gossipers."

"Who else? I've heard of only one man who can laugh like that and be sure when I say – _no one else can laugh like that!_" The hobo smiled, revealing a gap in his teeth through his bushy moustache. "You bet. I was Commander Bumi's room-mate throughout college…though, of course, back then he wasn't a commander…" he trailed off in his own musings.

"Commander Bumi – that's Tenzin's brother!" Korra cried elatedly. "Does anyone remember that number? We need to send a message, right away."

"Of course," The hobo smirked, "I always try to keep in touch with old friends."

"That's great! I…wait a sec, do I know you?"

"Well let's just say, for the Avatar, you're terrible at cooking fish…but then beggars can't be choosers I s'ppose." He said while dialling the number into the ancient phone beside him. "Just be careful how long you're on the line – those lightning-bended batteries run out like crazy! Not like those new-fangled ones they've developed recently."

"Thank you." Korra smiled warmly, taking the phone from him. "It's ringing…" she said in a hushed voice to her friends. They crowded closer round her, hoping to hear what went on.

'_And now, a step away from all this serious talk…up next is: "My heart burns" by Brychael and The Flameos…" _Bumi's voice sounded agitated over the radio and just as the station began to play the record (a fairly cheesy break-up pop song with a tsungi horn solo), a phone could be heard ringing in the background and a commotion as he raced to answer it.

"Hello? Is this Commander Bumi of the United Forces?" Korra said nervously.

"…I don't know how you got that name child, but"

"Wait – please, hear me out. My name is Korra: I'm the Avatar. I just wanted to warn you…and-and your fleet, that you shouldn't make port in Republic City. It's a trap – Amon's forces have set up mines around the harbour. I'm sorry…"

"So you're the Avatar, eh? Well then, message re_ceived_. I'll let General Iroh know when I get my lunch break. You just leave it to us mad geniuses" He chuckled, snorting through his nose. He spoke with a smile, but without feeling patronising. "I look forward to seeing you and my brother when we get there, Korra –"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you abou –" Korra began, but was interrupted.

"You can tell me all about it when we get there. Just keep an ear out for our signal. Oh, and tell Tezzy I love him, won't ya?" And with that he was gone. The phone went dead, though she still held it close to her ear. The commander hadn't realised that his brother was caught up in the attack that led to Lin being in hospital. Nor did he realise that the song had faded out as he confessed his brotherly love to Republic City and the wider world.

"Thank you" Korra said in a small voice as she passed the phone back to the hobo, who accepted it with a look of concern for her. She began walking over to Naga, who was curled up in a corner. "I'll see you guys later. I think I need some space."

"Korra?" Mako called after her. Bolin grabbed his arm, without thinking about it.

Surprised by his own actions he simply explained, "She's fine. Just do as she says and leave her be." Mako jerked his arm back out of his brother's grip.

"I hate feeling useless." he mumbled.

"We all do." Bolin agreed. Asami nodded in assent.

* * *

Korra sat in the gloom, leaning against Naga's form. The warmth and heavy breathing of her polar bear dog comforting her as she stared into the tiny flame in her palm. She held her knees close to her chest, hoping that they could prevent her heart from bursting out of her chest. _If Amon got Tenzin and the kids…that's it. No more air nomads…Everything Avatar Aang fought so hard to create and protect will be gone in an instant. He tried to restore his race, their philosophy, their culture. Then I inherit his legacy and…look how it's ended up. I must be the worst Avatar there's ever been…I can't even airbend!_ She could feel herself giving in to her darker thoughts and self-pity; a globule of moisture clung to her eyelashes.

"Hey, Korra." a voice and corresponding shadow approached her.

"I thought I told you guys to leave me alone. Just go, Mako. _Please._" she could hear how strained her voice was.

"You really think I'm _him_. It's me, Korra. It's Tahno." She finally looked up and saw him. His hair had lost the glossy sheen it once had and his eyes appeared engulfed by the dark circles around them. He was a broken man.

"Tahno? What are _you_ doing down here?"

He shrugged, nonchalantly. "Mind if I join you?" Naga rumbled with a low growl. "Er…does your polar bear dog, mind if I join you?"

She turned to her familiar. "Easy Naga, he's a friend." she turned back to her former rival with a smile, patting the ground beside her. "Pull up a piece of dirt."

"Thanks." They sat together in silence a while. In the warm light of her bending, she could clearly see the misery in his eyes. He looked hopeless. "The Equalists raided my house not long after the pro bending final. I didn't have time to grab anything…I just ran. Stupid, really. I couldn't book a hotel room without any money, so…here I am."

"What about your parents? I'm sure they wouldn't want you living rough. I mean, your father's on the committee of one of the biggest companies in the city."

He shook his head. "They're at our holiday home on Whale Tail Island. They left a week before the tournament…I chose not to go because otherwise the Wolf Bats would have had to forfeit." He laughed harshly. "There was no way I was going to miss an opportunity to thrash you guys. But it all seems like a cruel joke now…and they won't be back for weeks."

"You could ring them – there's a phone in camp." Korra suggested, somewhat irked by his pessimism.

Again, he shook his head, despondently. "I don't want them to know." He was ashamed enough of his circumstance, without inviting his family to pity him. "I don't want them to know, that the son they thought of as a pro-bending champion, is now just like everybody else." he clarified.

"I guess I can understand that…sometimes it's easier to be allowed to forget."

"Exactly…" he sighed, slumping over his knees, staring at his hands. "It's just infuriating, though. I know the forms – heck even my stance isn't as sloppy as yours – but it all comes down to nothing. There's nothing _in_ me anymore. No rushing of chi around my body; no tingling in my palms as I push the water around…I mean, just what _exactly_ am I meant to _do,_ now?"

"Keep moving forward. Try to find a way to forget about your loss."

"Yeah, _like that'll happen_! Ugh, it just makes me sick to my stomach. Amon thinks he's making us all equal this way, but he's wrong. There'll still be an imbalance in the amount of misery we all share. How does he expect us to return to normal lives when we've felt something greater…when we never had that type of life to begin with…?" He hung his head back to stare up at the stars peeking through the patched up ceiling.

"I don't think I can help you there…" Korra mumbled, extinguishing the light in her hand.

"Yes, you _can_." She blinked in surprise as he turned back to her, a hint of who he once was burning behind his sullen eyes. "You can end all this, Korra. Please, as the Avatar…as a friend" his intonation suggested he was unsure of how she saw him, whether it was as a sarcastic rival or as a pitiful man who'd suffered under Amon's tyranny. "Please – just end him." He grinned. "Even if I'm never going to waterbend again…I think I could live with knowing that justice was done."

"Well…that is the plan. I mean, I was never going to let him get away with what he's done." She smiled sadly.

Tahno caught sight of the others returning. "Thanks, Korra. Maybe I had you all wrong before; you're actually not so bad." Silently, he rose and took his leave.

* * *

Despite their worries and the stresses of the day, they managed to fall asleep fairly quickly. Mako couldn't help notice how sound asleep Korra was. Her sleeping face held a slight frown as she tossed and turned in her sleep, one hand coiled into a fist and the other being used as a pillow. To his right he saw Asami, her body curled up into a ball, shivering slightly in her sleep. He would have draped his coat over her at any other time, but given the recent tension between them lately, he thought better of it. _She'd probably think I'm trying to get back in her good books again. _His brother, as usual was sprawled out, mouth open and drooling, showing no sign of his daytime concerns. _It must be nice to be able to sleep so easily..._ Mako thought bitterly.

With a sigh he stood up and began walking over to the circle of overturned buckets and makeshift benches in the centre of camp. The fire had long gone out, but that was no problem. He was about to reignite it, but instead sat down in the soft light of the moon, whose dappled light streamed through the thin drapes above him. Alone with his thoughts, things seemed clearer now. He knew exactly what he should have told Asami…_when_ he should have told her. She had a point; he hadn't been very considerate lately and whenever he had tried to make amends it was always too little, too late…and only to save face.

He couldn't say how long he'd been sat there like that, but he was certain it had been a while. A shadow-robed form caught his attention. They walked listlessly past him, as if they themselves were only half awake. They turned the corner and headed towards the drain's entrance. In the light he could see it was her…Asami. Without thinking he followed her. His only motivation was a nameless compulsion to make amends, to settle all this and leave their past in the past.

"Hey. You couldn't sleep properly, either?" He slumped to the ground beside her, watching as her legs dangled between the bars of the enormous grate.

She shook her head. She was still shivering and had her arms clutched tightly around her ribs. Whether it was her pride or tiredness that kept her from admitting this, he couldn't tell. They were, physically at least, closer than they'd been for a while. There were no hard looks either…there was nothing between them. No unease. He went to put an arm around her juddering shoulders. She shrank from his touch, recoiling at the embrace. Turning away she said, "I don't know who you are when you act like this."

"Sorry…I should have known better." He shrugged his jacket off and placed it on the floor between them, as an offering, "but I'd rather you not freeze to death."

After a moment of consideration, she accepted it. "Thanks" She cast it over her shoulders, drawing it close around her, while trying not to show how appreciative she was of the extra warmth.

"I've been thinking, you know. About everything that's happened between us." She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to stop her. "I've realised that I've only made things worse. I've been such a jerk and…well, I doubt I can ever make things _right _again." He looked her in the eye. Those soft green orbs seemed full of curiosity, doubt and yet hope for what he was saying, as they twinkled in the silver moonlight. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry. Truly, I am."

"So I see…" she smiled.

"No, _really_. I've been a fool and I can see that now. I just hadn't wanted to believe that it was wrong to love someone. My pride got in the way of doing the right thing and it meant that you were the one who got hurt…I never wanted it to be like that. I wanted to be in love with you. I _was _in love with you. I was so angry at myself for having lost those feelings for you, that I kept what happened with Korra from you, just in case I found them again." He couldn't bear to see the hurt in her eyes. As he contemplated his feet, he spoke again "I just wanted you to know that. I know it doesn't justify what I did…"

"I think I understand, even if it's just a little bit." she smiled faintly, respecting his honesty. "I'm glad we're not arguing for once!" she joked. "But then, I've had enough of feeling angry. I think I've known all along, what was going on. I was just fooling myself by hoping it wasn't true, that I was just being paranoid…I was only fooling myself. At least, being able to talk like this, I know that you're intentions were never as cruel as I thought they were."

"We were both fooling ourselves. I guess, there really is no future for us…not together. Maybe there never was. I dunno. My feelings shouldn't have changed so easily…I didn't want them to." He scowled. Across Yue Bay, the moon shed her light on Air Temple Island, but her light wasn't the only one to be seen. There was a soft orange glow coming from the highest room. Yet neither of them noticed.

"No, there is no future…at least not one where we're together, anyway. I can't bring myself to hate you for what you've done – believe me, I tried!" she smirked. "So, I guess we could be friends: after all, we never really tried that, did we? We were so serious about everything…" she trailed off, looking at the stars. "Despite everything, Korra's my best friend. You know that, as her friend I want her to be happy."

"…What are you getting at?" Mako said, tripping over his words as he dared place hope in what he thought she was saying. From the corner of his eye, he could see that she was smiling as she spoke, even if it didn't quite fit her face.

"I'm saying, that I don't mind if you two are together. I'm past that…I guess, and if you make her happy, then that's all I want. There'll be no more tension or hurt between us." She could see how he looked notably more relaxed, as she said that. "But, believe me when I say that if you so much as hurt her, in any way – if you put one _toe_ out of line – then I will make your life a living hell."

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed it. I sure enjoyed writing it! Thanks, as always, for your wonderful reviews as they have been a great source of motivation (and in one case, inspiration). :)**

**The scene with Tahno was a surprise even to me! It just seemed _right_ at the time. I mean, who better to put across a bender's perspective on how destructive Amon's brand of "justice" can be. rant Plus, Tahno didn't seem to get any development in the show and I hated how they got rid of his bending and then just whisked him away like he was nothing. I mean, sure, they show him depressed afterwards, but they don't show how Korra reacts to it, so it seemed to me like they did that for nothing, as though they didn't know what else to do with his character! /rant**

**( A-Team, when you say you "only just found out" about my fic does that mean I'm famous? Lol, well...you know what I mean...I think ^^;**

**I can't wait to write the next chapter! (Here's a hint: it's my take on the episode "Skeletons in the Closet"!) **

**Til next time,**

**pyON~**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey, sorry that you had such a long wait for this chapter. I've been ridiculously busy these last few months. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait? It's fairly long :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra, it's characters etc. This story was written purely for entertainment purposes with no intention of profit being made.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: State of Being

"Oof! ..._Ow!_" Bolin gave a muffled grunt of pain as his lie-in was cut short by a football to the head. His mind was still fuzzy and trapped in his dreaming, not noticing that he was clutching onto the ball.

"Hey, mister! Can we have our ball back now?" A young boy stood before him, a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Oh, uh, right away, captain" He joked, looking down to see the truth in the boy's words before earthbending the ball back to him.

"Oh, no fair – cheater!" The boy yelled, scowling. Bolin stood for a moment, quietly amused. The child ran back to his group and, with a quick glance back at his sleeping friends, Bolin decided to join them.

"Wait! Why don't you teach me; then I won't be a cheater." He chuckled to himself: he hadn't played games outside of tournaments for a couple of years.

The boy rolled his eyes. The earthbender before him was at least five years older than him and looked a little goofy…perhaps that would mean he'd be clumsy and make the other team lose? "Ugh, fine. You can go on Kuzon's team." He jabbed his thumb towards a boy with a head-cold. Noticing he was being talked about, Kuzon sniffled and waved back at them.

"…Right. Okay, sounds good" Bolin said, unfazed by the lad's decision. "So, how'd ya play?"

"Well, there are two goals – erm, marked out by those coats over there and there." Kuzon sniffed, "And the aim of the game is to score the most goals by kicking the ball into the other team's…erm, goal." He finished, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

"Sounds fair enough"

"Oh, but you can't _bend_ and you _can't_ use your hands!" He said with a sudden seriousness in his hazel eyes.

"Erm, right…so it's Pro-Bending, but without the bending" Bolin laughed. "…Though, I assume you have a better name for it than that?"

"We just call it football…" he mumbled, distractedly, watching his friends start taking their positions. "Um, come on – the game's about to start!"

"Bo?" Mako called over, wiping sleep from his eyes. A blur of colours passed him. A triumphant "YES!" echoed around the camp's high walls.

"Oh man! That's, what? Two – nil, now?" He heard Bolin whine.

"I told you I was open, Bolin." A snotty boy retorted.

"Nuh-uh, I saw you were 'open' – Enzo was right next to you! ...Still, good game." He smiled, shaking the boy's hand before heading over to the collage of sleeping bags where Mako stood waiting for him.

"What?" Bolin asked in an exasperated tone of voice. "Sorry, Mako, but we'd have had uneven teams if you'd joined in…" He had a puzzled look in his eyes, unsure what his brother wanted him to say, or what he had done to irk him.

"You really think we have time to play games, bro?"

"Oh c'mon, everyone's…everyone's clearly got time for a lie-in though!" He jabbed a thumb over at their sleeping friends, accusatorily. He soon regretted it. Everyone's patience had been wearing thin lately and the last thing he wanted to do was to augment the situation. "I mean…"

"Forget it." Mako said, waving him off before walking over to the centre of the camp in search of warmth and food.

"Mako – seriously? I –" He was about to go after him, but thought better of it: _best to let him cool off and get it out of his system instead. _

* * *

[The previous evening, on Air Temple Island…]

The lamp would need to be refilled soon, they were sure of it. The kerosene would not last them much longer into the evening. A bearded man's sigh fell amongst them, as he wondered at his family's uncertain future. His two daughters were chatting away to the slumped figure in the corner of the room, while his eldest son drifted between waking and sleeping.

He overheard snippets of their conversation, "You know, you could always jump into a volcano, ponytail man. It'd be just like what happens in Jinora's books, right?" Ikki turned to her sister.

"Well it wouldn't be romantic. _At all_." Jinora gave the shadow a dark look.

"Oh no, I don't think I'd want it to be that way, either. Every story needs a fitting end, after all."

"But, in doing so, you could argue that he'd be easing his conscience of the guilt over what he did to Korra, while ensuring the world doesn't suffer further at Amon's hands." Jinora grinned in mock innocence.

"Yes, that would be perfect! It'd be his last act as part of his task force – a chapter where he finally recovers his resolve to save Republic City _even if_ it kills him." She clasped her hands together in glee, overwhelmed by the martyred heroism she envisioned for him. She was still young; still believed in happy endings.

The object of their plans remained silent, his eyes distant and lost in his thoughts.

Tenzin decided he didn't want to hear anymore – refused to hear such grim talk. He needed to remain optimistic for them.

Pema squeezed his hand reassuringly. He met her gaze. She smiled, leaning over to give him a quick peck on the cheek, before going back to tending to her infant son.

The kerosene lamp flickered in a sudden breeze.

With a well-aged creak, the door opened as if it were despairing at having to let him tend to his guests. He was sure they would contest at being guests in their own home if he told them he thought of them as such. Yet they were also much more than that. They were vital if his plans should succeed.

"I trust you're all comfortable. Well rested. Prepared for the big day ahead of you?" An amused voice emerged triumphantly from behind the closed countenance of an ivory mask.

"Hello, brother." the shadow stirred, spitting his words out in distaste. He stumbled to his feet as if in a stupor. "And to _what_ do we owe this fine reunion? It's only been…what…?" He counted the years on his fingers in a brief display of contempt. "Eighteen years would you say?"

"I've not come to reminisce, Tarrlok."

"No, of course not…that's not your style anymore, is it? You were such a considerate child…" Amon walked past. His brother could bring up the past all he wanted, he wouldn't change his path – wouldn't give up on the future that'd put him on top. "What about father? He died not long after you left, Noahtok! You didn't have to see him become so _lifeless_." His brother continued to ignore him, turning to stare at the air nomad family. "And mother! She never stopped hoping you'd come back – kept on waiting for you to return, like the prodigal son you always were to them."

His words fell on deaf ears.

"Of course you don't want to reminisce. Nor would I – not with the memories you left me with! If you did, you'd realise just how much like Yakone you've become!" His voice dropped from a shout to a bitter-edged croak. "…It was never about equality or being free from oppression. You never did represent those people. It was about power and – and _control!_ Spread a little fear, a little doubt, speak loud enough and the people will follow." He turned to slump back against the bars that segregated guests from host. "That's all that Yakone ever taught us…"

The room held its breath. Then, as if nothing had happened at all, Amon said what he had intended to say to the airbenders; left them horror-struck; and left.

"A pleasure as always, brother."

* * *

Bolin sat around their circle of make-shift beds. He'd lost track of time, but knew that it had been several hours since he last saw his brother. He'd watched Korra toss and turn in her sleep, animated even while resting. The dappled sunlight fell through the gloom of the storm drain, lining her dark hair with copper streaks. She breathed heavily. He looked away quickly, unsure how she would react to his curious gaze. After these short few hours of peace they were finally all awake to see the sun approaching its midday zenith.

"Right, are we all set then?" Korra shrugged on her usual façade of valour.

"Yes ma'am! …Um, ready for what?" Bolin gingerly scratched the back of his head. He would follow her any day; he trusted her blindly, but she probably didn't want to hear that.

"Reconnaissance." She replied with a closed smile. He could already imagine what that meant: recon with a few scuffles in between.

"You sure, Korra? Don't you think that it's a bit dangerous going down to the arena when there's a rally taking place? All of Amon's forces will be down there." Asami frowned with unease. She understood that her friend was obligated to get involved, through her role as Avatar, but couldn't help but think her vendetta against Amon was getting in the way of her intent.

"We can't do nothing. I don't know about you guys but I'm getting sick and tired of waiting for the United Forces to show up. It's already midday, so let's assume that they'll be here tomorrow, or something. I mean, if we really want to do something useful, we could check it out – find out exactly what we're dealing with…at least then, when tomorrow comes – when the United Forces come, we'll be more than ready." She punched her hand.

"She-she's got a point though. I-we don't want to push our luck, here. Maybe it _would_ be better waiting until the men with the guns come to back us up." Bolin glanced at her nervously, wondering how she'd respond. He didn't want to undermine her decision – far from it – but the idea of things not going to plan truly worried him. To have met and loved someone as amazing as her…and then lose her, well, it wasn't something he'd _choose_ to think about.

"You don't have to come if you don't want, Bolin, but it's happening. I'm going."

"No, that's not what I –"

"Then I'm coming with you." A voice echoed around them. Mako stepped out from the shadows towards them.

"Fine. Then we head off to the arena in half an hour." She smiled in thanks, a small bleak expression that told only of her desire to put an end to this. It still took his breath away nonetheless, even if it wasn't meant to.

"Alright. Let me know when you want to head off, then." He said, poking at the dwindling camp fire with what little kindling he'd managed to barter off the other inhabitants.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Asami said in a hushed tone.

"I know. I don't _have_ to, but I _want_ to."

"And what about us? What do we do while you two are out risking your lives? Do we just sit here and carry on as normal? Hope that things aren't as bad as we're thinking they are?"

"You can keep a look-out for the United Forces. I'm sure they'll be glad to know they're in the right place. Just _don't worry_ about us, I'm sure everything'll be fine. It's only recon."

"Well, I still think it ought to be your job to welcome them, but if you're sure…then I don't suppose there's anything we can say to change your mind." It was clear to Asami that Korra wouldn't change her mind now she'd made that decision. They would simply have to hope for the best and keep busy until they returned.

"Korra, I…I wouldn't be much good at recon." Bolin began, "I'm clumsy, and well, I – I just want to say good luck. I'll stay with Asami and make sure the camp is safe – you know, do what I can, wherever I can, but…erm, can you do something for me too?" He hesitated, unsure why he was being so honest all of a sudden. Maybe it was the growing sense of pessimism sprouting in his gut. His subconscious was screaming at him that nothing good would come of this, but perhaps it was his habit of being a worrier – a souvenir from a lifetime of second-guessing both his and other people's judgements.

Korra blinked, caught off-guard by his sudden sincerity. "What is it, Bolin?"

"Just, er, stay safe for me, okay?" He shrugged, looking at his feet to hide his face, as he felt it light up like a Christmas decoration.

"Of course." She replied, in a measured voice, "Don't I always?"

He sighed, scraping a hand through his hair before turning back to her, smirking "Yeah, sorry 'bout that." She looked as though she was about to leave and Bolin could see this was the end of their conversation.

"Bolin? Erm, thanks all the same." She said quickly, giving him an awkward one armed hug before heading over to his brother.

Mako sat slouched against the wall, staring idly at the cracks in the concrete that traced their way across the ceiling. Korra bounded up to him punching him lightly on his arm. "Right, we're up." She said grinning at the prospect of a change of scenery.

"Fine. Let's do this."

"Hope you don't mind going underground by the way." Korra smiled, trying to avoid looking at his sorrow-filled expression as she said that.

"Underground? Really?" Mako whined, "Erm, can't we just take Naga. I'm sure it'd be much quicker going round the bay on her than it would be walking through tunnels." He tried to recover some dignity. He'd been a bit tentative about going underground ever since his last job for Shady Shin…they had meant to extend the network of tunnels for the black market's smuggling route, but had unfortunately struck a water main. He had been lucky to get out quick enough. Not that he'd let it stop him from doing what he needed to do.

"Mako…just how many polar-bear dogs do you see running around Republic City? She's too noticeable. Chances are someone'll see her while we're in the Arena and they'll let Amon know we're poking around. Trust me, we're better off earthbending our way there. We won't be seen and better yet, we won't get caught."

"…Right. Whatever you say, boss." He waved her criticism off.

"Well then, that's that settled." Korra said with a small smug grin as she earthbended a chunk of earth around the grate they'd come through just days earlier. "After you." She gestured, closing the entrance up behind her again.

The sea breeze licked at her face for the first time in days and she was amazed by just how much she'd missed the outdoors. Under different circumstances, she would have happily sat there for a few hours, dipping her toes in the waters and listening to the gulls cawing over the nearby docks. Instead she bit at her lip, grabbed Mako by the arm and quickly earthbended the rock they were stood on, until it was level with the road atop the cliff.

"Right, so we need to be heading in this direction." Korra pointed towards the dome of the arena, just visible over the countless roofs of houses. "C'mon." She motioned him to follow as she darted round the corner of the nearest building. When she was certain they were far enough away to avoid the storm drain, she struck hard down into the earth. Mako simply stood there, motionless, clearly reluctant to go down the tunnel.

"Doubting my bending or…?" Korra trailed off, nudging him.

"No, of course not…I just – I was just…staring into space." he finished lamely, before clambering into the hole.

Korra jumped down the six foot drop after him, closing the opening up behind her in one short, sharp movement. "Can you give me a light? I kinda need my hands free to earthbend."

"Oh, right." He stammered before igniting his palm. And so they carried on in that fashion; one acting as torch-bearer and the other leading the way.

With very little conversation they eventually made it to the Arena. Korra struck upwards, revealing a chink of orangey light – light from an oil lamp. She opened up the crevasse to let them pass into the gym beneath the Pro-Bending Arena. She had barely closed the passage when she heard someone chattering on the other side of the door.

"Quick – hide!" Korra gave an urgent, whispered shout, tiptoeing behind the gym's double doors.

"What I want to know is why we're stuck down here, when Ganzu is up in the Arena. If you ask me –" A muffled voice drew closer to them

"Don't worry I'm not!" The voice's companion rebuked.

The first voice coughed indignantly. "_If you ask me,_ I'd say we lucked out on the rota. He gets to listen to Amon's glorious vision of the future and what do we get? Huh?"

"An ear-ache from you?" The younger of the two, a woman, chuckled. "Lighten up, Ladro. Seriously. You think I'm gonna enjoy this anymore with you running your –"

A metallic rattling noise caught their attention. Korra silently pleaded to no one in particular that they wouldn't look into it. Mako saw her panicked look, despite the gloom of the unlit room. He fiercely regretted knocking the mop bucket over.

"What was that?"

"Finally, he changes the record! …What?"

"I think it came from inside. Come on, we ought to take a look…It might be the highlight of our shift at this rate." He grumbled; their footsteps enclosing on Korra and Mako's hiding place.

Mako flung the metal bucket straight into the male guard's face, instantly knocking them out. Korra stood in shock from the other side of the doorway. The younger, female guard was staring, gob-smacked at her partner's unconscious form. Then her eyes narrowed, staring at the young avatar. Korra regained her composure, moving to uncork the water flask on her hip. In one swift movement, she pinned the Equalist against the wall in a web of ice.

"Thanks for that, Mako. Geez, Ithought we were going to at least_ try_ to be sneaky about this."

He shrugged, "…Sorry, I…" He didn't continue his train of thought. It was an accident, but he didn't have the heart to argue with her. Besides, he should have been more careful, even in the dim light. The young guard's eyes flashed between her assailants; anticipating an argument that might lead to her escape, disappointed when there was none.

"Ugh…" Korra said, pinching her brow, "anyway, let's keep moving." She motioned for him to follow.

Their footsteps reverberated around the clanking metal-plated corridors as they made their way towards the stairs, which would lead them towards the arena.

"Um, Korra, I've been meaning to ask you…about, well, about everything really. Like…erm, last night I managed to clear the air with Asami and –"

"That's great, Mako, I'm glad to hear you guys are speaking again, but don't you think this is a bit of a bad time?" She grumbled, about to open the door to the stairwell.

He flustered, "I…uh, yeah you're right. Forget I mentioned it."

"…Well, okay then." She was unsure as to just what had got him acting so sheepishly all of a sudden. She had an inkling that it was to do with his feelings for her, but this was hardly the time or place and, unless he'd broken up with Asami, she wasn't going to even acknowledge that kind of talk. Things were complicated enough as they were and that kiss…well, that had been a mistake.

She cranked open the door and began to race up the stairs, two at a time. She vaguely registered Mako's own footsteps racing up behind her, as she assumed a calm mask, ready to face her adversary. They came out near the entrance to the stands.

"C'mon." Mako grabbed her wrist, "We'll get a better view if we head to the box seats. This way!" He jerked her arm, dragging her along as she tried to adjust to his frantic pace.

From the box they could indeed see the stage in a much better light. On the stage below them Amon stood, against a backdrop of propaganda, flanked by his faithful Lieutenant and high ranking Equalists. Amon spoke with confidence and pride, echoing around the hall:

"When I was but a boy, I was exposed to the tyranny that benders have subjected the world to. I had my father taken from me, the family business and home burnt to ash and my face marred beyond all recognition.

"I'd like to thank you all, each and every one of you, my brothers and sisters, for coming down here today. For coming to what was once the pedestal for the bending oppressors. I'd like to tell you all that _this_ is the day that we turn a major corner in gaining a more equal future for the world. That _this _is the day that we have the Avatar in hiding." Cheers burst out in a wave over the crowd. "That _this_ is the day that we will take air-bending from the world." He made a large sweeping motion with his arm, signalling for a platform to rise up to the stage. On it were four figures, Tenzin and his children.

"It's time for the benders to realise that ours is a revolution that cannot and _will not _be stopped. It's time that they realised that theirs is a regime that _will not _be tolerated and that it's time for them to admit that the world they knew, is no longer theirs to control." He continued in a smug voice, as one of his henchmen began untying the nearest airbender, Meelo.

"_NO!" _Korra cried out before she could stop herself. It felt like every set of eyes in the room was suddenly focused on her. She had no plan; no idea what she would do next, just that she had to do _something_. She sent an ark of flames towards the stage, as a display of her outrage. It dissipated in front of Amon's expressionless face, as he remained unmoved by the act. His Lieutenant moved to retaliate, but was silenced by a calm motion from Amon.

"I see the avatar has decided to join us. Very well…Let us hear what she has to say for her precious benders."

Korra felt her skin tingle as she became aware of the hundreds of eyes now upon her. She looked around, hoping to find somewhere to begin, or even a face that wasn't painted in fear or anger towards her. "I…erm…It seems Amon believes that punishing children is an apt way to start a revolution," Her voice was hard to hear over the deafening jeers of the mob, "but I assure you that he is just as treacherous and tyrannical as his methods! I say this because I _know_as the Avatar – as _your _Avatar – Amon is a bloodbender!" A wave of whispers spread amongst the audience. She knew that she was beginning to sound a little too strained, a little too emotional, but this needed to be said. The people needed to know. "And the question you need to ask yourselves is this: if he's been keeping this a secret from you, what else is he hiding? What else has he lied to you about?"

"Amon, sir, is this true?" His Lieutenant whispered frantically in his ear, his hand shaking on his leader's shoulder. He didn't want to have his faith shaken.

"And what if it is?" Amon muttered back, watching from the corner of his eye as his most loyal follower backed away. "I fail to see what difference this makes, Avatar. Unless you're suggesting that benders cannot show compassion towards non-benders?"

"But you're not saying if this is the case with you!" Korra shouted, over the growing din. "I bet you don't even _need_ to hide behind that mask! You just wear it to hide behind like a common crook!"

The audience fell silent, looking towards their leader questioning. What would he do next?

"'A common crook'…? Very well. It seems the Avatar seeks to make a spectacle of me, suspecting me, a non-bender, of having hood-winked you all. So, I shall show you _bending's great gift to the world…_" He placed the microphone back on its stand, taking his mask off with his free hand. Shock rippled around the arena. "You see? The Avatar is not quite the all-knowing being she endeavours to present herself as." He gave a crooked smirk to his audience. The muscles in his face fought with the latex of his injuries tugging his mouth…severing the scars with cracks in his make-up. "Now if you don't mind…I have a show to run." He turned, motioning to a nearby Equalist to continue cutting through the rope around Meelo's wrists.

Korra barely had time to think. She bent an arc of ice from the moat below the pitch and raced towards their fraudulent leader with rage burning in her eyes. Mako followed soon after, realising a little late what she intended to do.

A flurry of flames cascaded around the arena. Korra fought on, trying to land a hit on his unmasked face; eager to punch that grin off his face. Amon ducked and weaved away from her blows, parrying her attacks easily. Mako ran towards Tenzin and his family, seizing Korra's distraction to free them and flee.

Korra yelled in frustration. Forget wiping the grin off his face, she was going to shove him off the stage! In her anger she switched her stance, and earthbended the chunk of concrete he stood on into the water below. He landed in the moat with a satisfying splish. Korra embraced the victory, beaming to herself. Then, from the corner of her eye she saw the last remaining Equalist sprinting towards Mako, who was still untying Tenzin.

"NO!" She screamed, hurling a tempestuous flame at the would-be assailant.

Mako looked back, dumbstruck. "Thanks" he shouted back, as he burnt through the last of the ropes around Tenzin's ankles. "Right, let's go, Korra!" He yelled, following the family as they headed towards the exit behind the stage. She didn't hesitate; dreading to think what would happen if the crowd turned on her.

Had she stayed, she'd have realised that all was not so resolved in the arena. Below the pitch, something stirred. Water twisted unnaturally and latex hung in ribbons from the bender's face. His face was now transfixed into a murderous snarl.

"Mako, what's wrong?" Korra asked, slowing her pace down the corridor. Mako had stopped dead in his tracks.

He did not answer, instead he called to the shrinking forms of Tenzin's family, "You guys get out of the building and go somewhere safe. Korra and I will make sure you're not followed." His mouth was set in a hard line.

"So…you have a plan then?"

"Not yet. But I –" A loud clang startled them both. The door behind them had slammed open. Amon stood hunched over from exertion, dripping wet and with a look of fury like none they had ever seen. "RUN!" Mako screamed, despite her standing only feet away from him. He bent a wall of flames between them and Amon. Yet in the second that he hesitated, he saw that Amon was unfased by any of his tricks. He bent the water from his still dripping clothes into a shield around himself, running through the fire like it was merely a warm summer breeze. So he ran, half-crazed with panic and not completely aware of his surroundings, even though they ought to have been familiar. An arm pulled him through an open doorway, dragging him through a supply room. Korra clasped a hand over their mouths, trying to silence their breathing as they hid behind a palette of boxes.

Footsteps sounded painfully loud. The long strides, exuded confidence and an almost predatory nature. It seemed like the world had become focused; the ethereal clarity felt like their ears had popped. Her hands shook, fingers shaking with nerves. She could hear her heart beat pounding like a freight train in her ears.

The footsteps then stopped. She imagined a Cheshire cat-like grin stretching its way across Amon's face. Surely, he must know he has them cornered. There was no other way in or out of this room. Korra had realised this when she'd dashed in, but knew that there had been no time to change her fate or regret it. It was just what had happened. But, why did it have to happen? _Maybe he's given up…_she tells herself in vain. No, Amon had been waiting for this moment since she set foot in Republic City. He would either strike quickly, or toy with them and wait for them to try and escape – something he would see as an exercise of futility. But which would it be?

Mako darted out from their hiding spot, taking Korra by surprise. She gasped watching him through a gap between the boxes, as he threw several successive plumes of flames. Amon widened his stance, his eyes narrowed assessing the situation. Mako gathered tendrils of lightning in his fist, ready to release it on the tyrant. Yet nothing came of it. Amon grabbed Mako by his shirt collar; sent a low kick to his shins. His balance was over-thrown, as was his concentration. The energy, now unfocused, dissipated around them. In that same fluid movement Amon threw him at the wall, watching the boy slide to the floor. With a groan, Mako tried to stand, but found his arms buckled beneath him and the shock had turned his legs to jelly.

He could feel her frantic heartbeat. It was as loud to him as his own would be, but he knew that he sensed hers with his bending, rather than hearing it. It felt like it was pushing against the very atmosphere, palpitating between the dust that circled lazily in the air. She was scared. He could have laughed. Despite all that bravado and all that power…

He honed in on that heavy, hasty pulse, sweeping with his arms like a dark magician or a puppet-master pulling invisible strings. She was a fighter, even now. She struggled within his bending grip, even though they both knew it was useless. He knelt her down on the ground, her back to him. He briefly entertained the thought of having her pray, making her plead for mercy…but there was no audience and he was simply here to provide his services to the world.

"You've been a thorn in my side long enough, Avatar."

She felt his thumb against her forehead. Felt a tear caress her cheek. Her eyes darted about the room for inspiration. She panicked when she found no key to her salvation. Closed her eyes, tight. She supposed it was the adrenaline; her body felt shaky and less than real. Something within her clicked and then the rest was darkness.

Mako dragged himself to his feet, hoping that Amon had forgotten him. He saw Korra – saw what fate was to be assigned to her. He felt his legs tense, ready to charge at him and save her. But she didn't need saving. Everything was bathed in a flash of blue-white light and the wind threatened to throw him off his feet.

He was flung backwards by the gale, pinned to the wall, only able to watch as Korra turned round with unseeing, phosphorescent eyes. She seemed barely human, completely furious and not herself at all. She turned sharply, and pushed both her arms forwards in a bending form he'd never seen her use. He watched as Amon hurtled past him through the doorway. A loud metal clang resonated dully from the corridor. Mako was in little doubt that Amon would be unconscious.

Yet still she gave chase to him. She walked slowly and confidently towards the corridor. Her head was tipped at an angle that suggested a feral curiosity, like a cat playing with a mouse. No, he didn't Korra's intent. He did, however, doubt she'd approve of the deed once she returned to her senses…if she returned to her senses.

"Korra." He said in a low voice, grabbing her arm as she approached the door. At his touch, he felt the barrage of wind lessen and eventually stop. "Korra, you don't want this. I _know_ you…" whatever he was going to say was lost, as he saw those eyes remained just as deadly serious and just as distant.

"For the sake of the world…" A many hundred voices simultaneously bubbled from her lips.

"Korra! Korra, no!" He tried to hold her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. "This isn't you. I _know_ it isn't you…so please, don't…"

Her body fell limp around him as she passed into unconsciousness. A single tear fell from her eye, racing to join the one that had summoned such unrelenting rage.

He gathered her up over his shoulder in a fireman's lift and ran. He stole away from the chaos of the arena, away from Amon…never slowing; only stopping after they'd gone a mile away from it all. Only then was his energy spent. Only then, beneath the awning of a phonograph shop, the rain lashing down over them, did he notice a soft blue glow emanating from under her closed eyelids. If he wasn't so exhausted he would have been more worried and rightly so. Instead, he found himself marvelling at the delicate tracery of capillaries on her lids, before tiredness and darkness consumed them both.

* * *

**AN: Hope that was okay. Sorry for any inconsistencies/continuity errors in the fight scenes...I've just written the parts after Korra and Mako infiltrate the Arena within the last couple of hours (it's 2AM)...I'm just a little bit tired. But I am very glad I finally got this one done, I'd been a little daunted by what I needed to put in it, because this _is _the main turning point of the plot and I knew I needed to do it justice. **

**Let me know what you think?**

**Pyon :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Sorry for the super long hiatus, guys. I'm afraid it's going to be pretty sporadic update-wise for a while, but I'll try and make it on a monthly schedule when I can. **

**WARNING: some fairly graphic description of blood/injury.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Korra, or its characters. All credit goes to their rightful owners. This work is purely for entertainment value and no profit is made from this fanfiction.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Broken Link

They sat around the entrance to the storm drain, each lost in their own thoughts. To the naked eye they shared nought in common; they were a war general and his second in command, the heiress to Future Industries, an earthbender and his fire ferret. United through obligation, loyalty to a cause or a friend perhaps…united in grief, for they were the survivors of a battle. They had faced torments, stared into the faces of those turned against them and had returned once more; not physically harmed, but certainly not unscathed.

The morning mist made the air thick, as if tears were trapped in the air they breathed, creating a lump in their throats. It obscured things. The pale blue light of a clear morning's sunrise seemed like a bitter sentiment to them. Bolin looked out over the harbour…looked at the mess. Smoke lazily drifted around the bay, splinters of metal hulls lined the pebbly slither of beach, masts poked out of the waves like gravestones. Birds twittered noisily somewhere nearby. He wanted to shout out, to tell the birds to be quiet, but they were innocent beasts and the concerns of men were not theirs to pity.

A figure shimmered into view, approaching them through the fog. It seemed bulky, walking with a limp, visibly laboured in its efforts. Bolin watched with a dead expression on his face, as though it barely registered in his mind to notice such a thing. Still it came closer, sometimes shifting its position, as if moving a pack to ease the weight, giving its silhouette a deformed appearance. Whoever it was couldn't be further than a hundred yards down the path from them now. He began to be able to pick out details. Colours. It was a man with another figure slumped over his shoulder, their feet dragging on the ground, scuffing up a plume of dust behind them. They wore dark clothes, dark expressions, had dark hair… A splash of red adorned the face of the unconscious one.

"Hey! Bolin? Is-Is anyone there?" A dry, raspy voice cried out in dehydration.

Bolin blinked in the sunlight, squinted to see past the haze. "Mako…? Mako!" He exclaimed, standing. "It's Mako!" His voice echoed in a peal of joy. He quickly earthbended the grate away and began ushering them inside. "We weren't sure if you guys were coming back – what happened? What…?" His face fell as he saw Korra, clearly unconscious, blindfolded with Mako's scarf. His brother closed his eyes solemnly in grim acknowledgement, before carrying on into the caverns. He placed Korra down beside Asami, slouching himself down against the wall opposite her. Bolin quietly closed the entrance up once more and kneeled down in his previous spot, looking around the group with a question on his face and wondering who should ask and who would receive an answer. Asami stared at Korra's face. Her mouth was slightly parted as if in a deep sleep. She could see something was wrong. Her friend was too still – so unlike the restless sleeper they all knew – but her mind refused to register these facts. The general looked on in curiosity. Their recent trials had not dulled his mind as it had the others'; he was far too used to such scenes. His commander surveyed the scene from the corner of his eye, his face tucked into the lapels of his jacket.

With a deep breath and a slight wince, Mako spoke in little more than a whisper, "I'm sorry…We attended the rally." His story was punctuated with anguish and a heavy breath. "They had Tenzin's family – we had to do _something._ Korra – she exposed Amon as a bloodbender…he wasn't…wasn't going to let that lie. We needed to give the airbenders chance to get away. We needed to run…but we were cornered." He took a gulp of air. "I tried to distract him – _I tried _– but I gave us away…he got to Korra. He was going to take her bending away and all-all I could do was watch." He frowned. "…But he didn't. She – she just…" He gestured wildly at Korra's sleeping form. "Hell, I don't even know! She blasted him out of the room! I've never seen anything like it – she was so _angry – _so in _human_…not herself at all…" _She was going to kill him while he was out cold and unable to defend himself,_ he thought, keeping that detail to himself. "She's been like this ever since…" He finished, wanting to be done with the event.

"…A-and the blindfold?" Bolin asked tentatively.

"See for yourself." Mako invited, crossing his arms and withdrawing into himself, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.

Bolin's fingers fumbled at the knot under Korra's hair, before peeking under the scarf. His hand shot back immediately. He went to remove it once more, succeeding this time in steeling his heart against the shock. The azure lights glowed faintly under her eyelids, casting colour about the damp, gloomy caverns.

"…I don't believe it. It can't be…" General Iroh breathed, moving closer to the group. He was inches away from Korra when he realised that all eyes were now on him. Clearing his throat he explained, "My grandfather, Fire Lord Zuko, often told stories of his adventures with Avatar Aang. He spoke of the avatar having untold power but I never believed this" he paused, sifting through his mind for the word, "this _Avatar State_ was possible."

"Is she going to be okay?" The crowd around the avatar bristled at the new voice. It was, Bolin realised, the first time Asami had spoken since they returned from last night's events.

The general gave a warm, careful smile, which he accompanied by some well-chosen words, "It's a defence mechanism, Miss Sato. I have every faith that the Avatar can and _will_ come out of the Avatar State in due course. In the meantime, we have to make sure she's protected."

"Why's that?" his subordinate asked, throwing off his illusion of sleep. His creaky voice seemed familiar. Yes, they had heard it before. This was International UF Radio's Commander Bumi. "You said yourself, sir; the Avatar State is one that provides untold power. Surely, she should be safe enough…not that I object to looking after her, of course." He added.

"Because, the Avatar State was only ever meant as a last resort, or at least that's how Avatar Aang had explained it to my grandfather…I wasn't told any more than that, but I can assume that the consequences must be dire, otherwise they'd use it more often." Iroh concluded.

They sat there, staring in wordless awe. They were strangers and friends to each other in these moments, for none could know of the others' trials and they knew that neither would choose to break silence to speak of them. The sun had reached its zenith, but yet it provided little extra warmth for them. Bolin shivered.

"Guys?" They didn't look at him, but he knew they'd heard. "How about we go back to the fire? We can warm ourselves up – save Korra from pneumonia – and then…well, we can plan out where to go from here." Bolin smiled warmly, looking around the group for confirmation, staring at Korra when he found none.

A moment later his words had effect. Bumi looked up and muttered, "You know what? I think you're right. These bones have been frozen ever since I arrived in Yue Bay." He stood up slowly, stiffened by the hours spent in silence. "C'mon then – lead the way."

"Yes, sir!" Bolin chirped. He tapped his brother on the shoulder, waking him from his daydreams, before scooping Korra up from the ground. Mako offered his scarf to him as a blindfold, but he refused. Despite his initial shock, he had found something beautiful in those otherworldly eyes. For all their foreign beauty they were oddly comforting. Korra was a fighter – she would come back.

They headed off through the tunnel, led by Bolin and Iroh's firebending.

"Asami?" Mako looked back, wondering why she was dragging her feet. "You coming?"

"I…"She paused. "Yeah, sorry…"

He walked back to her, putting an arm over her shoulders. Any other time, she would have accused him of playing with her emotions for doing so. Now…well, she could see by the sympathetic yet ignorant smile on his face that this was a purely platonic gesture. And so, they too walked on into the darkness. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" he mumbled.

After a moment of consideration she smiled, "I know."

* * *

Night was approaching them now. There had been no further news of Amon's forces, so it seemed that their enemies were still none the wiser of the location of their hideout…and why should they care so much anyway? The Equalists had just destroyed a fleet of the United Forces' ships and pushed the Avatar into hiding once again. If anything, it seemed more unlikely than ever, that Amon could be defeated…

Embers circled lazily up towards the canopy of flags. Their faces were illuminated in the soft amber light. A while ago Mako had asked them what had happened during their ill-fated mission. The question had gone unnoticed at the time; unanswered. It was only now that it registered in Asami's mind. She'd had a lot on her mind lately.

"…We were attacked." She spoke softly, never looking up from the campfire. "While you were away, the United Forces showed up, but Amon had been waiting for them…Bolin and I went out there to give aid where we could. There were so many…" It was clear she no longer saw the scene around her, but that of the battlefield, the harbour, the tragedy.

_Canon fire rocked the storm drain like thunder. No, this couldn't be happening – not now! Not while they're still out there…not while we're on our own!_

_Bolin shook me by my shoulder, tearing me out of my daze. His firm gaze held me under scrutiny. I realised that he was expecting a response, but how could I tell him that? No, I'm fine, I told him. _

"_Let's go." I said, fumbling under our packs for my Equalist glove: by the sound of it, I was going to need it. _

_We ran through the tunnels, sloshing our way to the grate. The course smell of smoke assaulted us. Ships smouldered in the boat yard. Equalists attacked from fishing boats near the dock. A great whirring noise whipped overhead. That was all it took to bring us out of shock. Bolin tore the grate from its slab of concrete like so many times before, closing the entrance behind us, for the refugees' sakes. On a dais of bent earth we rose above the campsite, level with the cliff it was situated in. From there the true carnage became too clear, too real. _

"_Bolin…" I stared at him, the grim expression of his determined face. I silently hoped he had a plan, a better one than my simple need to help these people. But how could I get to them? His heavy breathing suggested he'd reached a decision._

"_We need to take out the Equalists around the harbour. There's a couple of mechas down there too, so we're gonna need to be careful, okay? Hopefully, once we've taken those guys out, the United Forces should be able to take care of the rest."_

"_Right." I smiled, sliding my aviator goggles over my eyes. The world took on a malachite hue, shielding my eyes from the sun's rays as I raced down to the harbour, following the slope of the land to a point where the drop was little more than six feet. _

_An Equalist stood a little way from me. Surely he must have heard me approach him, running as fast as I was able towards him. He didn't. Finally he turned to face me, my gloved hand outstretched towards his face. That mask would do little good to protect him. I could certainly expect him to be out cold for several hours. He crumpled to the ground with a groan. A mecha pilot on the nearby jetty must have noticed me. A net flew out, giving me but a moment to react. Dropping down to the splits, I avoided the attack, before straightening up to run to face it. I couldn't have got even half way towards the mecha when a boulder shot across my vision. The rock clipped the tank's upper half, causing it to lose balance. I watched it teeter on its heels for a while. A grim satisfaction came over me as it fell into the abyss, a monumental splash punctuating its sentence. I looked over my shoulder to the cliff-top. My saviour beamed, waving at me as I shouted my thanks in response._

_It seemed so easy at first, taking out the Equalist forces around the bay. But, despite our efforts we could see that the United Forces' ships were dwindling, one by one sinking to oblivion in a smouldering wreckage. They were not the only ships to fall…no, the Equalists saw only the need for victory, despite the civilian cost. Countless fishing trawlers joined them, their broken masts jagging out of the waves like crucifixes, marking the end of a livelihood or the loss of a life._

"We managed to take out most of the Equalists around the bay, but it wasn't enough…" Asami sighed. "It wasn't…We never expected an aerial attack. My father…he must have been busy. I really don't know where he found the time to invent all these things…"

_The whirring noises from before were closer now. A deafening roar of propeller blades swooped overhead. The aerial vehicles bore the Future Industries logo…Dad…_

"_Bolin…! Bolin, what's going on out there?" My voice was shaky with rage and frustration. I clambered back up towards him. He scowled out over the sea._

"_Those planes are heavily armed…I can bring some of the closer ones down with earthbending, but the other ones are too far out and too close to the ships. I'm sorry."_

"_Sorry? Don't be. It's my father who ought to be sorry. Him and the rest of Amon's supporters. Come on, we need to do what we can for them. We can worry about whether it's enough later." I smiled at him, hoping he wouldn't judge himself too harshly; every bending discipline has its own disadvantage. It's not his fault._

"Bolin shot down plane after plane, but they still kept on coming."

"_What's that?" Bolin pointed towards the sky. Twinned ribbons of flames arced around the aeroplanes (as we'd begun calling them), followed by a column of smoke as the plane fell from the sky like Icarus before them. _

"_Must be a firebe–" My words were cut off by a loud bang that echoed around the bay. A pained yell cut through the smog. "Father…?" _

_In that moment I don't think I registered anything that was happening. Not the rush of limbs as I scrambled across the coastline. Not the heat of the flames coming from the grounded aeroplane. Nothing, but the dread clawing at my heart._

"My father had been one of the pilots at the time…but how could we have known that? His plane crashed and I-I didn't know what to do. I know I vowed to treat him as I would any other Equalist – don't get me wrong. I don't sympathise with their cause it's just… he's my father. I hauled him out of the wreckage, but…it-it was no use…"

_My hands were shaking. I scrunched them up into fists; I knew I couldn't make them be still. His breathing was laboured and sporadic. I was amazed he could breathe at all. Glass from the plane's windows had lacerated his skin, leaving it drenched in the blood eschewing from hundreds of shallow cuts. That was manageable. That wasn't the worrying part. A twisted metal frame, which I can only assume was once part of the door of the craft, protruded from his chest. With each weakening heartbeat, blood rippled around the wound, taking his strength with it._

_Then he smiled. He smiled at me. Of all the things he could have done, he smiled with joy; happy to see me. His glasses had steamed up, but I could see his crow's feet crinkled in true elation and pride._

"_Asami…" he gasped. "I…You're here…Y-you came back…to me, child. You have…no idea…how happy I am…no idea…Your mother…would be pleased with us…to see we've – we've stopped fighting…"_

"_Dad, I…" I paused. I could have set him straight, I could have told him the truth, but he seemed so peaceful. "I'm here, don't worry." I reached over, taking his hand. He gripped back, feebly. I smiled down at him, trying to bite back my tears. I didn't want his last memory of me to be marred by tears._

"_I'm so…so…proud…" His eyes were heavy, but he no longer fought it. I felt his grip loosen from my hand, saw that his pulse had grown still and knew that it was over. _

"_I love you Dad…" I didn't fight the tears anymore. I closed my father's eyes and tried to focus on the world around me; the world of the living. Sniffling, I turned to see Bolin stood behind me, a shocked expression on his face. "He's gone." I said simply. It was obvious, but I felt I needed to say something._

"_I'm sorry…I didn't–"_

"_Don't be." I clapped a hand on his shoulder, tried to show him that I didn't hold him responsible for it. Tragedies happen all the time, in war and in peace._

"My father passed away. He was…_smiling_. He thought I'd come to fight alongside him…Even though he's gone, I guess I'm kind of glad I got to see him again, before hate had chance to change my memories of him..."

_The flame-clad figure was still attacking the planes above us. Whirling around the enemy machinegun fire like it was nothing. Or was it? In an instant the tables turned. We were no longer watching the gracefully enacted triumph over the Equalists, but a swift descent. The firebender's flames extinguished and their body was falling at an alarming pace to the icy waters below. Their arms flailed, as if resisting the fall. They were still alive._

_My mind seemed unaware at the plight of my feet. A gut instinct pushed me forward, compelled me to give chase, to give aid to the nameless stranger. It was, I realised, the same reaction that had made me go to my father's side. Was this…fate or some other bond?_

_Somewhere behind me I heard Bolin shouting after me. Still, I continued on towards the sea. A plinth of rock erupted from the waves. I had no doubt who to thank for that. I ran along the length of it, taking me closer to the conflict. It must have been around here that I'd seen them fall into the waters. Bolin's footsteps were approaching. I yelled back to him that I was going to dive in. _

_Water gushed around my ears. The current rocked me around, swaying in the tide as I tried to push further down. I could see, through my goggles that the man was a few feet away from me. A cloud of blood exuded from his shoulder and tinged the water around him. _I need to get him out of here before a shark-seal finds us,_ I thought. I pushed forward harder this time, grabbing the man by his coat collar. My lungs were burning and my head screaming to get to the surface. _

_A hand thrust through the water, anticipated our return. I gladly took it. The cold had sapped the energy from me. Gasping for breath, I tumbled onto the platform of earth. Bolin helped me drag the man – the soldier – out of the water. After a moment of panic and half remembered first-aid lessons, Bolin managed to get the man breathing again. Despite the adrenaline making me feel panicky and like I was seeing the world in slow-motion, the first thing I noticed was how handsome the man was as we spluttered out our introductions. His dark hair clung to his pale face and he was soaked to the skin, shivering with cold. Yet, amidst the scenes of horror around us, I found comfort in those amber eyes. Iroh: that was his name…the decorated general of the United Forces._

"We helped General Iroh, but it was becoming clear that his men had taken too many casualties…So, between the three of us, we made a plan to fall back, in the hope of fighting another day. The general was about to signal his flag-ship, the last remaining ship, to take to the lifeboats, but the Equalists dropped a bomb on it. The only option was to admit defeat and come back here, where we could treat his injuries properly and send a telegram to the rest of his forces." Asami concluded, finally looking up from the fire. Her red-rimmed eyes were glassy with tears betraying the horrors she'd witnessed just yesterday

"And the other guy...?" Mako hedged.

"Commander Bumi of the United Forces." The shaggy-haired man spoke.

"No, I meant, where did you fit into all of that?"

"He was the one who received the phone call from Korra the other day and so he and Iroh decided to split their forces into two teams. A small fleet would try and make port in Republic City to rendezvous with the Avatar, while the majority of the ships held back at Yue Bay." Asami retold Bumi's story to Mako. "Iroh telegrammed Bumi yesterday evening, while we treated his shoulder." Mako looked over at the two uniformed men as if assessing them.

"I, er, thanks again…for that." Iroh tripped over his words, dragging himself out of a pleasant daydream.

"…Right." Mako dragged the word out. Something didn't seem to fit in with Asami's account, but he decided he really didn't want to know. Looking over at his brother, he asked "So where _do _we go from here?"

Bolin shrugged. "Wherever's safest for Korra, I guess. I…I don't think we can afford to stay here much longer anyway. It's too close to where the United Forces tried to make port. They'll put two and two together and…y'know." He looked despondent. "Oh. Sorry, guys…" He muttered to Iroh and Bumi.

"It's fine." Bumi quickly reassured him. "But I agree; we can't risk the Avatar being captured and we are too few to defend from a full-on attack." He saw the mood around the fire sink further towards despair. "However, I doubt that they'd expect us to hide-out in a previous battle zone." He winked.

"What!? That's madness. How could we be any safer _there_ than we are here?" Mako jumped to his feet.

Bolin frowned "…Because they won't expect us to take that risk. So they'd probably not be guarding it or even keeping an eye on it…" A smile blossomed on his face. "We'd be able to wait for Korra to…come back? Or whatever it is she needs to do. It'd be safer." By now he was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Commander, you're a genius!" He exclaimed, punching the air.

The commander chuckled, punctuating his mirth with snorts. "Why, thank you."

"The question is: where do we go? We know the strategy now; it's just a question of how to put it into action." Iroh mused.

"What about your place?" Asami asked Mako.

"What? No…no way. It's too soon…isn't it?"

"Heh, they certainly wouldn't expect it. That's for sure." Bolin added.

An uneasy silence stole over the camp.

At one point, there was a suggestion to return to Air Temple Island, but this was quickly dismissed; the General had spotted signs of activity around the area. It was quite possible that Amon was using it as a prison for benders or a new training ground for his chi blockers, after Korra and Tarrlok had forced them to abandon the old one.

"Are you sure that your place isn't an option?" Iroh's voice took on a serious tone; the situation was looking desperate. Surely they couldn't have exhausted all their options – there _must _be somewhere they could go.

Mako shifted uneasily. Bolin gave him an elbow to the ribs, before saying "You can't stay away from there forever, bro. I know it's probably not your number one place to visit right now," his brother glared at him, "but we need this. It's still our home and Commander Bumi's probably right: it _would _be safer." Mako caught sight of Korra's still body in his peripheral vision and he knew that this was an argument that he wouldn't win. He may not like it, but they were right; they would have to go back to the scene of last night's events.

"Okay…" he said, quiet as a whisper.

* * *

**AN: Hope it was worth the wait. Sorry for the character death, but I kinda did foreshadow it (back when Hiroshi held a toast to "the next big adventure" - it's a Peter Pan reference) ^^;. **

**Let me know what you think :)**

**Pyon x**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Sorry it's been so long since I last updated this - real life got in the way and I was limited to only being able to add the occaisional sentence every now and then. Also, hope I didn't put anyone off reading with that character death last chapter, it had been foreshadowed a while ago...**

**Anyway, on with the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra, nor its characters. All credit for those goes to the creators. This story was made for entertainment purposes only with no intent of profit being made.**

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Koh-Korra

They had been back at the Arena for around three days now, not once having dared to leave the attic apartment. Bolin and Bumi had been right, of course, the place was abandoned once more; the Equalists had indeed been using Airtemple Island as a base since they had fled from it. No news had reached them of the Airbenders' plight since they had helped them escape Amon's rally. They could only hope that no news was good news, for now. In their anguish, it felt like far more than three days had passed while they anxiously waited for Korra to wake up.

The morning after the rally, when daylight was still a half-risen squint on the horizon, they stole away into the Arena. Their nerves were taut, each of them clenching their teeth, tight, so they wouldn't jump whenever they saw a pamphlet flutter down the stairwell. But nothing came of it. They reached the apartment, a refuge untouched by Amon's influence – unlike the rest of the Arena. Perhaps, the Equalists had not found it…or had not bothered with a room they wouldn't use; either way, they were thankful.

They set Korra down on the sofa. Mako wordlessly draped his jacket over her, before taking a seat on the couch opposite her, visibly tense. He was later joined by Iroh and Bumi. Bolin passed around bottles of Dandelion and Burdock to everyone from the small fridge in the kitchenette. He felt a little regret for not having bought something more suitable before all this had happened; something he wouldn't feel ashamed of serving to a General and his Commander, but at the time he had simply wanted a sugary drink before their match against Tahno and the Wolf-bats. How things had changed…

Time passed in a daze with everyone sipping on their soda, wrapped away in their own thoughts. Asami left her own bottle untouched, collecting condensation, casting sepia tones over the table towards her, as she sat on the floor next to Korra's sofa. The midday sun cast everything in an amber glow and befuddled their minds in the warmth. Bumi began to snore gently, his head lolled back against the cushion, mouth gaping wide open for all to see.

A day later and a half later, and the collection of bottles was joined by a small gathering of tinned peaches and bowls of half-eaten rice. The cupboards were beginning to look a little bare now – not that they'd been particularly well-stocked to begin with. There were, of course, a couple of week old dumplings at the back of the fridge, as a last resort, but who knew if they were edible…Old Man Fitz's place didn't have the best reputation for food hygiene to begin with.

After a couple of days in silence, the muffled sound of a woman's voice burst through their semi-consciousness in a cacophony of volume. Instantly, they were on the defensive, jumping to their feet, staring intently at the staircase to the apartment. But no one burst through the door. Stillness and silence. Bolin let out an audible sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging.

"Well, I guess that settles it, then. We've officially gone crazy!" He joked, scraping his hair back with one hand; a nervous gesture he could never quite get rid of.

"No, it doesn't…" Mako said through gritted teeth, before rushing down the stairs after a sound that only he must have caught.

"Mako, wait! What –" Bolin called, chasing after his brother while trying to stop Pabu from careening off his shoulder. "…Oh" He paused, unsure what to say.

"I knew we weren't alone in here..." the firebender grumbled, dragging a young woman up by her wrist. A grimace of pain twisted her features, partially hidden beneath hair that was spilling out of its bobble. Her trousers were torn, exposing knees covered in grazes and friction burns and it was the creation of these that Mako had heard. "So what do you want, huh? Spying on us for Amon? Hoping to bring back a juicy tid-bit on the avatar's location? _Huh?!"_ He demanded loudly, dragging her up the stairs.

"Mako…just chill…"

"What?" He frowned, pinching his brow with his free hand, "Now's not the time, Bo. She must have known we were here, so quit fooling around and give me a hand." He spoke quickly, irritably and handed Bolin a handkerchief and a pointed look.

Bolin stared at the scrap of cloth like it was a noose; the red fabric like spilt blood on his hands. With a gulp and a mumbled, "…right", he tied it around the back of the girl's head. "I'm so sorry." But she just stared back at him in wordless outrage, not fighting his actions, but trying in earnest to wear him down. Her eyes bore into him; dark treacle-coloured depths full of questions.

It seemed like everyone had heard the commotion downstairs. Asami stalked up to them the minute they had opened the apartment door.

"Mako, just what do you think you're doing?! You can't be serious…?" her unease made this a question. He stood still, the girl struggling in his grip as he fought with his conscience. Bolin tried to gauge the general and Bumi's reactions, but their expressions were guarded. He assumed they were on the fence about this; she was a risk, but they weren't sure whether this was morally right.

Eventually, Mako spoke, "She knows too much…and I _can't _risk anything happening to Korra. Not again." He sounded strained, older than his years and weary with the burden of them. When no one questioned him further, he simply went to the small kitchenette, dragging her all the way, scraped back a chair and threw her in it. Her wrists were bound tight to the spindles with string. Not once, while he did this, did she look away from his eyes. He wished she would.

Taking the handkerchief from her mouth was a bad idea they realised. She let out a piercing scream, until they replaced the gag.

Hours uneasily stretched into the evening with the flat lit only by candles and lanterns. They hadn't moved from the sofas since her arrival, but now, Asami saw, the girl hung her head. Was it in shame, fear, sorrow? Asami wordlessly got up, grabbed a glass from the cabinet behind the girl's head and poured her a glass of water. She stared uneasily at her, unsure whether to remove the gag. Surely, she would want something to drink. She didn't look like she was capable of fighting now; it was all but gone from her expression. So, tentatively, she pulled the fabric from her lips, until it rested like a necklace.

"Here. Drink this." Asami ordered in a soft voice, offering the glass to the girl who stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. Was this some form of protest? "You must be thirsty…" Still no answer. With a sigh, Asami reached over her shoulder and placed the glass on the counter. "Well, it's there if you want it…you only need to ask."

"…Why?" The croaking question caught her by surprise. "Why are you doing this for me? You all hate me…_he_ does anyway." Asami turned to see those eyes raging with suspicion and torment.

"…Because someone needs to redeem him." She said quietly, before adding. "And just because we chose different sides doesn't mean we have to hate each other." She could feel the girl's disbelief emanating from her as she walked back to the sofas to check on Korra.

"What's your name?" The girl suddenly asked, her voice louder than it had been before.

"Asami." She said guardedly.

"I'm Eman…Eman Douri."

* * *

Light rippled its way across her vision like a migraine, but no pain followed it. Instead she found herself bound by curiosity as a foreign land revealed itself to her. Colours seemed almost entirely absent from this world, instead, she saw the world drenched in sepia tones, save for the occasional flickers of life, shining in iridescent blues. What looked like fireflies would dance about through the air, only to shift form, shuck off their appearance into that of a beast, snarling about, ramming its tusks at the trunk of a tree. The tree itself was a cause of interest, too, for it seemed to have been ripped from the earth and replaced upside down, so that its roots may claw at the sky. After a few minutes, knelt on the rough ground, mouth agape in wonder, she noticed how still this place was. No breeze blew here.

Eventually she stood up; taking in her surroundings was all well and good but if she couldn't find out how she got there, how would she get back? Before her was the lip of the rock she stood on, surrounded on all sides by murky waters of questionable depths. Other than a gazebo somewhere in the distance, the only evidence of civilisation was an archway above her head…_is this a doorway or something? So then, all I have to do is walk back through it and I'm home, right? _It didn't work. She frowned. _Well, I guess it can't hurt to have a look around…wherever this is…seeing as I can't go back the way I came. _

She swept her arms about with every intention of riding a slab of ice on the back of a wave. Unless she took matters into her own hands, there seemed to be no other way to cross the swampy expanse of water. Nothing happened. Again and again she tried, but the water stayed still, ignorant of her commands. Memories flashed through her mind. The warm presence of a soul-chilling thumbprint on her forehead. What if this was it? What if Amon _had_ taken her bending? What then? Her panic rose in her heart like a fever, spreading to every cell of her body. _Losing my bending only to be stuck in the Spirit World…of all the dumb luck! _

She slouched down on the ground, feeling listless with apathy. A sympathetic face looked back at her from the water, but it was not her own. Aang's eyes bore into her own with some pleading intensity. _Great! _Korra thought, scathingly. _I'm being haunted by the past even here! _"…I just can't escape you, can I? Being compared to your standards in the City and now you've come to judge me…" she sighed. "Well I'm sorry but I'm not you! I can't master air and I'm not even a bender anymore! Just leave me alone!" She cried, tossing a stone at the water, in line with his arrow.

Seemingly in retaliation, stepping stones rose up out of the water to her aid. They protruded the unfathomable depths to greet her. Looking into the abyss, she saw that the stones were actually columns of earth, erupting from some unknown and distant depth.

Quickly, as if in fear they would recede once more, Korra took the path the stones had arranged for her. It little mattered where they took her, she decided, as far as she could tell she was leaving this place any time soon. In her haste she failed to register the swathes of yellow, running alongside her on the water's surface.

Eventually, the stones led her to a gazebo on an island of earth, a bridge connecting it to a far-off shore. With a heavy sigh, she flopped on the bench within the wooden shelter and, slumping her head over the back of it, stared up at the beamed ceiling. A particular sound caught her ears. Interludes of melody, interwoven in the sounds of the fauna. She frowned, half-believing that someone was doing it just to annoy her. Grudgingly, she raised her head, which was now heavy with pressure. Squinting out at the landscape before her, she caught sight of a figure, some half a mile away. They were sat on the ever-stretching bridge, dangling their feet over the water, as if to tease the fish for not nibbling their bait. The fisher drew back their line, swearing profoundly when they saw the string barren of fish. Then, much to Korra's surprise, they threw their head back in a hearty laugh. Several wading birds jumped from the water in shock, forsaking their docile rest for flight. Korra watched their forms shimmer into formless orbs of light, as she began to walk down towards the stranger.

When she was within mere feet of them she noticed something about them. Or, perhaps noticed wasn't the right word. There was a niggling feeling of almost remembering something; an echo of déjà vu. She paused, realising for the first time that she had no shadow in this realm. The stranger then turned. She saw his face unmasked by the maw of his headdress for the first time. She was quite certain she had never met him before, but a smile instantly won over his features, one which she reciprocated without noticing. His appearance was not quite so fierce as she expected. The polar bear dog skin betrayed nothing of his nature. He was dressed in a Southern style that she had only seen the elderly wear back home: his overcoat, more heavily patterned than those of more recent decades… recent centuries, even.

"Hey, Korra! Was wondering when you'd get here." He spoke in a rich, languorous baritone; at once sounding his forty-something age and yet exuding some apparent youth, too.

"You…were?" Korra said, puzzled.

"'Course I was: we all were. I understand you've found yourself in a fair bit of trouble, lately?" By intonation alone, he made it into a question, even if it didn't need to be. He knew.

"Uh, yeah…" Korra mumbled, sitting cross-legged beside the man. "Um, how-how do you know that? And who _are _you, anyway?" She asked impetuously.

"…Me?" The man asked, dumbfounded, pointing at himself. "I'd have thought you'd….Never mind…" he waved his doubts away with a quick grin. "I'm Avatar Kuruk, Korra."

"What? No…no you can't be serious!" Korra scowled. "I mean, I know I'm in the Spirit World, but _no! _You can't be - he's a tribal legend! He died well over 300 years ago! I…" She frowned, _duh, Spirit World…what did Tenzin even say about this place? It's a place to reconnect with the past, the spirits…the spirits of past avatars…_ "but you _are_, aren't you? That's – that's how you knew me, I mean…isn't it?"

"Yes, well, I suppose it's a lot to process…" Kuruk said tentatively. "We avatars, while being only one person at a time, are also all of our past lives, simultaneously." He watched her face shift into a bemused confusion. Clearing his throat he continued, "What I mean is, we are like this river, you see? We may split off into different tributaries, be called different names as we walk these different paths…but our essence is the same and we can all be linked back to the same origin."

"O…kay." Korra smiled softly as she gazed at the horizon, where the river melded into the mist. "I think I understand that, even if it does sound like something Tenzin would say!" Her smile grew, but then was quickly snuffed by her recent memories.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" Kuruk asked tentatively.

"I…I don't know. I'm not entirely sure you could help me with it, anyway. I just –" She paused, leaning back, pondering. "I'm kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, y'know? Like, I finally manage to access my spiritual side and see all this" She gestured aimlessly around them, "but, I really need to be back in the _real world_ right now. Then again, I don't know if there's any point! I only realised too late what Aang was trying to show me and look what happened! I could have stopped Amon sooner, if I'd only opened up to what he was trying to show me, but my thick head wouldn't let me…I-I don't even know if I can still bend and I guess I'm not much use if that's how it is…" She pouted, scowling at her hands, now resting on her knees. "Can I even _be_ the Avatar without my bending? I mean, it'd be like an armadillo-viper without its bite – just a living shell…no venom in it."

"I see…" his mellow voice echoed around them. "But, that's not the case with you. Trust me; you're fine…and I suppose that's the reason why we need to talk. You see, whenever an avatar is in peril they have untold potential. They can enter the Avatar State – a state which grants them the ability and power of all their lifetimes, in order to survive. That is precisely what has brought you here and what saved your bending. Y'know, with training, you can learn to control it…but I doubt you'd have time for that…You're eager to return, aren't you?" For a moment he looked on her unguardedly, as if he was preparing for the departure of a dear friend. Then, in the blink of an eye, he regained his easy-going demeanour. "And yet, something tells me that's not all you're worried about…am I right?" he smiled warmly, gently elbowing her.

"I…I don't know if I should talk about it. There are so many more important things going on at the moment," she paused, realising that the Spirit World betrayed none of the chaos that had followed her the last few months, "back in the _real_ world, I mean. It just seems so trivial compared to all that!"

"You put way too much emphasis on segregating everything…" Kuruk muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Surely, it's not so trivial if it's affecting you?"

"Well, it's about this guy…" Korra began, teasing a strand of hair to the side, nervously.

"Go on…" he goaded, working through the tangles in his fishing line.

"…And his brother" she added reluctantly, "I mean, they're both great friends, but then things got complicated. Basically, I thought I liked the older one, Mako, but, I dunno, he never told me that he was still with Asami and – that's his ex, by the way – and he didn't even tell her that we were getting close either! So she got hurt…and I _never_ meant for that to happen. She's my friend _too_, even if we did get off to a rocky start." She frowned, folding her arms.

"And now you're not so sure if this is what you wanted?"

"I…yeah. He treats me like I'm made of glass, for crying out loud! Always offering to team up with me, or carry me, or making out that I can't handle things by myself…but I know he means well. It's just, that's _not_ who I am!" She took a deep breath, trying to still her shaking hands. "He didn't even seem to think about Asami in all this. Sometimes I wonder whether he was genuinely sorry, or whether he just didn't want people to think badly of him." She drew her knees up to her chest in a tight embrace. "But at the same time, knowing that he ruined his chances with Asami, I don't even know how I feel anymore. He wanted to be with me so much…" She sniffled.

"Just because someone has feelings for you, doesn't mean you're obligated to be with them, Korra."

"I know…" She said listlessly.

"But, where does the brother come in to it?" He asked, picking up on her crestfallen mood.

"Bolin? He, um, had a crush on me at the time, back when I was chasing Mako. I even went on a date with him, but for all the wrong reasons…and that probably really upset him, not that he'd ever show that in front of me. I genuinely had a great time that night – he even found a place that served traditional Water Tribe meals – as good as back home, even! Though, I'm not sure it agreed with him!" She laughed, "He was belching for hours – it turned into a competition at one point!" She smiled at her silent companion, but as if she didn't like the way she thought he perceived her, she looked away, all mirth gone from her expression.

"But…at the time, I only said yes to going out with him, because it might have made Mako jealous." She released her grip on her legs, spreading them out before her. "And it _worked_…which is why we all ended up in that mess." She was becoming more reticent with her emotions again, Kuruk realised, watching her slip her legs between the supports of the railing.

"…He seems like a nice guy." He mumbled, awkwardly trying to prompt further discussion.

"Yeah, he really is…" Korra said, warmth leaking into her voice as she swung her legs over the water. "He's the most genuine, decent guy I've met since I've been in Republic City and look how I treated him…" She grimaced. "He…he doesn't deserve me – didn't deserve to be _treated_ _that way_, I mean…by me!" She added hastily, after catching sight of Kuruk's bemused grin.

He laughed loudly, yet it produced no echo in this fey realm. "Of course, though it sounds like you knew exactly how you felt…you just never decided to acknowledge it!" He beamed with encouragement. "You should tell him, when you get back." He said, in a sudden solemn note, "You never know how long you may have with someone…and if you don't act quickly enough, it all gets swept from under your feet." He blinked hard, giving a quick apology.

"Kuruk… What happened?"

"I won't say it's nothing…but it's nothing I won't try to put right. Just, watch out for the face-stealer, Korra. Trust me."

"Erm, sure? I didn't have any intention of finding him." She said slowly.

Silence hung between them. Korra took to watching a panda padding its way across the distant shore, before eventually it strolled back to the woodland beyond. Water burbled, splashed and scattered below them and they burst from their troubled petrification. Kuruk reeled in his long-forgotten line, only for the tiger-koi to morph into a ring-tailed flying-lemur, taking the line with it, like an Avatar Day kite on a string. "…Can't win them all, I suppose." she heard him mumble.

"There goes your lunch!" Korra teased, trying to assess Kuruk's expression, but it remained hidden by his headdress and so she returned her gaze to her dangling feet and the rippling waters below. Colours flashed into the shimmering waves; yellows and oranges, the gentle hues of autumn. The river stilled itself, unnatural in its speed. Korra sprang to her feet in shock. A stern countenance gazed back from the waters. Avatar Aang's image stood in place of her own reflection, yet entirely independent of her. He held out a hand, as if beckoning her to come closer, to enter the river with him.

"Looks like you've got your ticket back."

"What?!" Korra turned to see Kuruk with a knowing smile on his face, standing beside her.

"Oh and Korra, remember what we talked about, okay? And know that no conversation is trivial. If you're prepared to listen to it, you can find the wisdom to solve the matters at hand. _Be attentive_!" She must have looked unsure, for he continued "Listen and compromise; yours is the path of the wise, which you must walk if peace is to return to the world." He walked a couple of paces closer to her, shepherding her closer to the bridge's railings.

"Wait – you're giving me advice now?! Can't you be a little less cryptic about it?!" She almost shouted, her back pressed to the wooden railing.

"Believe in yourself, Korra, you'll find the answer. Just remember what I said, yeah? Talk to him!" He said, placing two firm hands on her shoulders. "Now, go." He pushed her back. Her expression quickly flashed between shock, betrayal and confusion.

Water, water everywhere; a chilling force keeping her suspended in mid-fall. She stretched an arm out, asking for rescue, but couldn't make it penetrate the surface. Through the undulating glass of the river she saw Kuruk walk back along the bridge. Light glanced off something dark, crawling up to him. The carapace of some giant centipede, perhaps? She didn't know whether to feel angry at being thrown in the river, or not. Some part of her wanted to be, but its resistance was futile; that desire was being eclipsed by the stillness around her. She didn't know how she felt. She felt nothing, but the churning sound in her ears, amplifying her heartbeat. Heartbeat? The sound rose. The waters grew warm around her. A light blossomed in the bubbles around her, almost blinding in their intensity. She could scarcely hear it, but she would swear she heard a younger male voice that simply said, "Forgive me your legacy, Avatar Korra."

* * *

**AN: Hope that's okay...? I was originally going to have Korra going after Koh and Kuruk taking Korra to talk to Aang...but I couldn't get it to work or sound plausible. In my mind, having Aang appear as her reflection, always out of reach and intangible, is the Spirit World's way of showing her the qualities she lacks - the qualities which make it difficult for her to communicate and relate to Aang. Aaaaand what better avatar to talk about relationships than Kuruk!**

**On a side note, the briefly introduced OC, Eman Douri, was difficult to name! Eman (pronounced ee-man) is the name of one of my housemate's friends. えま, or ema, means an example in Japanese and どうり means reason (don't kill me if it's wrong - I am but a mere fool who uses Google Translate). The reason for this name choice should become clear over the next few chapters. **

**Pyon~ **


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